By Gail Peckler-Dziki
Correspondent
It wasn’t quite the loaves and fishes, but when some Silver Lake area residents showed up at the Community Baptist Church in their boats, church members jumped into action.
Community Baptist, located at 203 N. Fourth St., was within the area hit the hardest with heavy rainfall that caused widespread flooding throughout Southeast Wisconsin.
The sandwich making, water-distributing crew included Donna Buxton, Kathy Wood, Ron Stephenson, Allie Draeger, Kathy Woods, Jody Kelliher, Deb Scully and Pastor Cliff Hathcock and daughter Allison.
“We were making breakfast sandwiches and had bottled water and two area residents showed up in boats,” Rev. Hathcock said.
Therefore, members delivered food by boat to residents stranded in their home as they fought back floodwaters.
Scully was in one of the boats which delivered food and water.
“People were surprised that we were doing this, some were in tears,” Scully said.
Rev. Hathcock, who reports minimal water in the basement, felt it was a duty to serve the community in dire need.
“We had only a little water in the church basement and we were fine. It became a matter then of what can we do,” Rev. Hathcock said.
The church was open for residents who needed to cool down in the air conditioning, receive water and charge their cellular phones.
Now, Community Baptist is assessing community needs, and what the church can do to help.
However, the flooding crisis is not over, as Scully continues to receive donations from the community.
“We have collected cleaning supplies and water,” Deb Scully said. “We are working with Home Depot.”
The church plans to use monetary donations to buy gift cards from Home Depot, and Scully has maintained contact with Sharing Center Executive Director Sharon Pomaville, who has worked with county officials through the flooding crisis.
“Some people have lost everything,” Scully said.
Binanti’s feeds workers
While Community Baptist Church served flooding victims, Binanti’s restaurant in Silver Lake helped workers.
Binanti’s, located at the corner of Second and Lake streets, has been part of the Silver Lake community for 21 years.
Although Linda Binanti was unable to come in on Thursday, it left her time to mull options related to helping the community.
“We couldn’t open on Thursday because of a power surge that disabled our phones and most roads into Silver Lake were closed,” Linda Binanti said.
Subsequently, Linda Binanti and her daughter, Alexandria Robinson, pondered how they can aid people affected by flooding.
Two of their employees were effected by the flood an couldn’t come in, but Linda, husband Gaetano, Alexandra and Javier Brito made pasta and pizza.
“We couldn’t get food to the individual homes, so we found out where volunteers were working and the Robinson family took it to those places,” Linda said.
Among the places they delivered were at the Salem Lakes Fire and Highway Department building, where workers filled sandbags, and then arrived to the former Silver Lake Village Hall to help officials.
Meanwhile, some of her customers reportedly pitched in to help, offering donations.
“We have wonderful customers,” Linda said. “Many showed up to give monetary donations and donations of food, cleaning supplies and even toilet paper.”
“We couldn’t keep the money, so we have $2,100 to give to The Sharing Center along with the non-perishable food items and other things,” Linda added.
Linda credited Salem Lakes Village Trustee Ted Kmiec, who spread the word of Binanti’s intent to help through social media.
“I would like to thank the volunteers who helped fill and distribute sandbags this week at Silver Lake Village Hall,” Kmiec wrote on social media. “Also a special thank you to Binanti’s Taste of Italy and the Binanti family for preparing and distributing food for the volunteers and the Salem Lakes employees.”
Riverview chips in
Additionally, Riverview School opened its doors to residents who needed to shower, use the restroom and take a break from clean up at the end of last week.
Initially, the school was available from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. July 14, but extended its hours until 8 p.m.
The next day, on July 15, the school was open from 8 a.m. through 2 p.m.
Along with offering use of showers and restrooms, bottled water and coffee was offered to residents, according to Technology Specialist Julie Strasser.