FRANKLIN FURNACE — Isaac and Margaret Stapleton thought they had done everything they needed to do to protect their home. It was a well-kept house, and the insurance was paid up.

What they had not considered was that the authorities would rule last Wednesday’s destruction that struck Franklin Furnace a flood.

That meant their home at 89 Collingwood, knocked off its foundation by the virtual tidal wave of destruction, was not covered.

“Thursday morning at 2 o’clock is when the noise hit,” Margaret Stapleton said, standing at the foot of her bed in their room at the Franklin Furnace Inn. “We jumped up and there was already water in our living room. It had burst some pipes. It almost shook him (Isaac) out of bed.”

Margaret said she went through the house but was told not to go in the kitchen because the water was deeper there.

“The rain was coming down, just like in buckets,” Margaret said “It was coming off of the house. It was so hard that it just tore the side of the house down. They measured the water last night, and there was 15 inches of water in the basement.”

The Ohio River Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross sprung into action and got the Stapletons to safety, then began to assess the situation.

The Red Cross, and an organization formed by area labor unions are going to help with the house, but while the work is being done, they have an immediate need.

The elderly couple is living in fear they will not have the financial support to stay at the motel in Franklin Furnace much longer.

“We have to be out of here by 11 o’clock this morning,” Isaac said at around 7:55 a.m. Tuesday.

In addition to worrying about what they were going to do, Margaret had a doctor’s appointment at 9 a.m., and could see no alternative at that time but to return to their unsafe home, a home wrapped in yellow caution tape. “But I won’t stay there. I will sleep in my car before I go back into that house the way it is now,” Margaret said.

The couple talked about their immediate needs.

“Right now we need some help with some money so we can stay here in the motel,” Margaret said. “Red Cross has paid all they are going to pay. We have nowhere to go. We’re staying here until the morning (Tuesday). The lady at the homeless shelter is trying to get some money that we can stay here until they get the house fixed.”

Stapleton said the Salvation Army had paid for two night’s stay at the motel and the Red Cross has paid the rest.

“This one and that one have been bringing us food. We had no way to get any food. The homeless shelter lady gave us some food a while ago,” Margaret said Monday afternoon. “She brought us canned food items that we can put in the microwave and heat up. We just don’t have any help. Everywhere and everyone I go to tells me no. We’re just at our end. I can’t take much more.”

Margaret fell and injured her foot and put a bump on the back of her head, requiring treatment at an area hospital.

“They did let me come back home because I begged too hard to them,” Margaret said. “They didn’t want me to, but I wanted to come back so I could be here so I could oversee my husband. He has Alzheimer’s. It’s all on my shoulders. We would appreciate any kind of help we can get.”

The Red Cross has pledged not to abandon the Stapletons.

“They both are on oxygen, and we just couldn’t let them go. It pulled at our heartstrings,” Mary Arnzen, executive director of the Ohio River Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross said.

Stapleton said Terry Duncan, Disaster Services coordinator for the Red Cross, has been handling the coordination of keeping them taken care of since the storm hit, which claimed one life.

“The foundation washed in on two sides of it (Stapleton residence), leaving it unsafe to be in,” Duncan said. “We got with the unions, and the unions took over the project.”

Common Cause, a non-profit organization formed by the area labor council is in the process of getting down to fixing the foundation of the Stapletons’ home, hoping to get to work on it beginning today.

“We’re fairly new. We helped out the National Association of Letter Carriers with their food drive in May, and that was very successful,” Cherice Keyser, coordinator of Common Cause, said. “We got a call from Trampas (Puckett of Carpenters Local 437) and he wanted to help this couple out as far as coordinating it, so we’ve already got the OK from Wagner Rentals that they are going to supply us with … equipment.”

Keyser and Arnzen said Tuesday that Portsmouth Block was going to donate the block for the project, and that Papa John’s and Pepsi would be delivering food to the workers.

“We’re thinking we might possibly start that on Wednesday,” Keyser said. “Members from Carpenters Local 437, Bricklayers Local 39, Operating Engineers Local 18, Electricians Local 575, Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 577 and Laborers Local 83 will help with the repairs.”

Keyser said the organization didn’t have to think twice about getting involved.

“This is exactly the kind of project we look for. Common Cause Agency seeks to promote Union Members as charitable members of the community,” Keyser said. “When these skilled tradesmen and women heard that this family was in need they wanted to figure out a way to help. It’s great that we are able to work with the Red Cross and local businesses to get this done; that’s really what we’re all about.”

Austin Keyser of the Shawnee Labor Council said it is not unusual for members of the local unions to get involved.

“We always look for ways to help the community, whether it be people affected by the storm damage like we see now,” Austin Keyser said. “Or the children. We liked going out and helping with the Kiwanis playground, or the baseball field down here at Branch Rickey Park. We helped renovate those. It’s something the community can be proud of. I’m glad we can help out.”

Cherice Keyser said Common Cause Agency’s Board of Directors is comprised of leaders representing labor, business, faith groups and community. Its mission is to identify and facilitate opportunities which bring together local union members and other charitable organizations around a common cause; building a stronger community.

Frank Lewis may be reached at (740) 353-3101 Ext. 232 or flewis@heartlandpublications.com