It’s all about people helping people, neighbors willing to help neighbors, friends assisting friends.
That is what was going on in our neighborhood and in many instances across the community and in other places I am sure during the historic ice storm that struck many parts of Oklahoma two weeks ago.
The ice storm caused widespread power outages across Oklahoma. It closed schools, businesses, too many other entities to try and name.
Officials in Pottawatomie and Lincoln County are still trying to assess the damage. They, like their counterparts across the state, have no idea yet of the total estimate of damage. I’m guessing it will be some time yet before they do.
But the willingness of people to take their time to assist others was gratifying to see. Pat and I were among the fortunate ones during this recent ice storm. We lost power on that Tuesday morning, Oct. 7, for less than four hours.
The only tree we still have standing on our place lost some pretty good size limbs and branches, but it’s still in really good shape.
Once it stopped raining finally on Thursday morning, I was able to begin sorting those branches and trees and pulled them near the ditch.
The following morning when it heated up just a bit, Marian and Rhonda helped me pull them across the street to a neighbor’s backyard where he has a burn pile.
After they assisted me with that, I helped them, along with Rhonda’s husband Bret, neighbors Scott, and Allan and we all worked to give Regina a hand with hers.
Her husband Charlie is unable to help in these kinds of situation and we were more than willing to provide the assistance needed.
Once we finished that, I helped Brett and Rhonda with theirs. Can’t tell you how many times they’ve helped with downed trees throughout the years in our yard.
Then, a little later, I offered assistance to Bobby across the street whose yard we took my stuff earlier to his burn pile. We worked for a while on some of his down branches and limbs until he decided we’ve done enough for that afternoon.
I even offered to help another neighbor. But he decided he was just taking his time and doing it by himself.
Said he needed the exercise, that he was going out of state to hunt deer with his bow and bear with his gun.
All of this helping one another was an example of camaraderie at its finest.