ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – In April, severe rainfall and melting snow led to flooding across the Upper Peninsula. Conditions caused so much damage for one Escanaba organization that it has since moved to a new facility.
Due to a flooded parking lot, the Delta County Cancer Alliance’s (DCCA) former building at 3430 Ludington Street suffered heavy water damage. According to Cancer Alliance President Gayle DeShambo, levels rose to three feet inside the storage room.
Concerned about the potential of mold residue inside the building, the DCCA Board wanted to ensure volunteers and clients would have a safe environment. The Alliance’s lease was terminated, leading administrators to find a new location.
DeShambo says the difficult process was made easier thanks to the public’s support.
“The community just rallied together to help us,” she said. “We met with several places, and the kindness was amazing. Everybody wanted to give us the very best price they could for rent because of the great thing that the Cancer Alliance does for so many people in our community.”
Now, the Delta County Cancer Alliance is operating inside the rear entrance of Christ the King Lutheran Church, located at 1230 North 18th Street.
“When we came here to Christ the King Lutheran Church, it felt like home,” said DeShambo. “It was calm, it was comfortable, and it felt safe. We’re very excited to say that we’re saving quite a bit of money on a monthly basis with this move, and they have been extremely gracious in helping us with the transition. I think God had a hand in this and has presented us with a beautiful opportunity.”
In addition to financial assistance, the Delta County Cancer Alliance provides clients with mobility aids, nutritional resources, wigs, and hygiene products. However, many of those items were damaged beyond use in the flood.
“The robotics kids did all the cleaning of our DME equipment because it was pretty nasty,” DeShambo said. “We did lose a lot of our furniture, but the church has been very gracious and supplied us with all the furniture that we need. We did lose a lot of the briefs, the bedpads, Depends, and things like that. We moved to a temporary location for about a month, and all of the cleaning was extensive, so there were also a lot of expenses.”
To help restock its shelves, the Cancer Alliance is accepting donations from the community. All donations will be used to help volunteers continue to serve local individuals battling cancer.
“There’s some folks out there that don’t have any advocates, and we’re the best support they have right now,” said DeShambo. “Being able to be there for them to talk about what their options are is a beautiful thing.”
To contact the Delta County Cancer Alliance about making a donation, call (906) 786-0854 or visit the new DCCA location between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
