OXFORD, Conn. — Two weeks following the flooding that destroyed homes, businesses and roadways, the need for help remains.
“We know there are a lot of people out there that are not asking for help and we know that there’s a lot of help to be had,” said Mary Beth Nelsen of Oxford.
As many work to rebuild, other Oxford residents like Nelsen are lending a helping hand.
“Our house was fine and I felt like you know I’ve got to do something because we’re okay,” said Nelsen.
Together with her daughter and niece, Nelsen spearheaded the Neighbors for Neighbors Facebook group, connecting those in town with any resources they may need, no matter how small.
“We’re trying to find people that are saying my needs are smaller and so don’t bother with me. Because we’ve got a whole lot of volunteers who are also saying I can’t donate $10,000 but I can move furniture, I can lift stuff I can use a hammer,” said Nelsen.
Christina Woerhrle is among those getting involved. She saw devastation practically at her doorstep.
“We saw their stuff start to float down the river so we ran over to see if we could grab anything of theirs and it was way too late. Their house was filled with water, all their outbuildings were starting to wash away,” said Christina Woehrle of Oxford.
“I’m like, 'hey, can I give you a hand with anything' and he’s always like 'no it’s alright.' And it breaks my heart. Every time he’s down here I try to bake bread and I’m like 'hey man, would you like some bread, do you want some water?' Because I feel awful for him. But there’s more work than one, two even five people can do down there. It’s really bad,” added Woerhrle.
The Neighbors for Neighbors group has a message for those who hesitate to ask for help.
“Know that you’ve got neighbors and people that care about you and you can either reach out and get help or can help people. Either way you’re going to feel really good about humanity and about what we can do for each other,” said Nelsen.
Kaelee Collins is a multimedia journalist for FOX61 News. She can be reached at kcollins@fox61.com. Follow her on X, and Instagram.
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