When Hurricane Irene swept through downtown Ellicott City, Linwood was not spared. The Linwood Center Boutique, located on the large parking lot behind the old post office, was just too close to the banks of the river. Water poured in so fast and so furious, that it was all we could do to get our folks out of the store and out of the downtown area. With only moments to spare, our people were out of harm’s way. The store was not.
Water poured in, flooding the entire store. When all was said and done, we were looking at rising and falling levels, six to twelve inches in some spots, including standing water, mud and silt. In addition to the carpet being ruined, we lost some furniture and most of our clothing. The good news is that most of our gift merchandise and home decor was unaffected.
We have been in nonstop cleanup mode since the flood last week. We thank our landlord, Don Reuwer, for contracting a crew to immediately address the situation. Our staff and program participants continue their hard work, getting the store back in shape for its reopening.
Takoma Academy
Finally, we were blessed with a group of volunteers that showed up on our doorstep. This group of young people came from Takoma Academy in Takoma Park, Maryland, along with their chaplain, and offered to help clean up the mess. At that exact time, we really needed them. They spent hours pushing water out of the store. We are very grateful to them and to all who have stepped up to help.
Please continue to donate your new and gently used clothing and other items, by dropping them off at our store or at our drop boxes at the Lark Brown Shopping Center in Elkridge or at Miller Brothers Chevrolet in Ellicott City, next to the service department. The Boutique will reopen soon. Please check back with us.