Perth-Andover holds meeting for flood victims

The Village of Perth-Andover will be hosting a meeting Thursday night for people affected by the recent flooding.

Government officials and representatives from various volunteer agencies will be available to provide information and answer questions.

The meeting will be held at the River Valley Civic Centre at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile,cleanup efforts continueafter last Fridays record flood, which forced about one-third of the northwestern community's 1,770 people to leave their homes. The flood level was roughly 1.5 metres higher than the last major flood in 1987.

About 70 volunteer firefighters from other communities and some U.S. states went to work in the village on Wednesday.

They were helping to haul heavy debris, such as oil tanks, washers and dryers out of flooded basements.

"I cant say enough about them," said homeowner Jennifer Eagan.

"Even the town, when we were evacuating, the firefighters were right around literally running door-to-door. They were up for 48 hours straight," she said.

Two schools to re-open

School officials are also working hard to get students in Perth-Andover back to class, said John Tingley, the acting superintendent of District 14.

Perth-Andover Middle School is slated to re-open for regular classes on Friday, while Andover Elementary School is expected to re-open no later than next week.

School officials are anxious to get school started again - primarily to restore the comfort of routine during chaos.

"If they can come here and their life from nine until three is normal, that will be good," said Andover principal Ann Marie Berry-Wattie.

The elementary schools classrooms on the upper floors weren't touched, but the new early learning centre sustained major damage.

Carpets had to be ripped up and everything that was in the flood waters, thrown out.

"I cried, I did," said Berry-Wattie.

Southern Victoria High Schoolwill remain closed until at least the end of June.

The flood caused extensive damage to the heating and mechanical systems.

The estimated 350 students in grades 9 through 12 will be divided between Plaster Rock and Grand falls to finish out the school year.

"There's just no words to describe, to describe the anguish and the upset that has gone on in the community," said Grade 5teacherElizabeth Sullivan.

"We all know someone who's been directly affected, so it's been very hard."