Buckner evacuates two facilities

Posted: 9/30/05

Buckner evacuates two facilities

Officials with Buckner Children's Village and Calder Woods retirement community are working to restore the two Beaumont campuses so residents can return as soon as state and local government officials give the “all-clear” signal.

Buckner Baptist Benevolences administrators have assessed both facilities in the wake of Hurricane Rita. Buckner relocated nearly 300 residents, staff and staff families before the hurricane hit. The group rode out the storm at First Baptist Church in Lufkin.

Since then, senior adult residents from Calder Woods have been moved to Buckner retirement communities in Longview and Dallas. Residents, staff, staff families and victims from Hurricane Katrina living at Buckner have moved from the Lufkin church to Camp Buckner near Marble Falls.

Buckner staff who have examined the children's home and retirement campuses reported neither sustained structural damage. However, there was some water damage from rain blown under doorways by the hurricane's high winds.

Calder Woods suffered “relatively minor damage to shingles and some carports,” said Charlie Wilson, interim general manager of Buckner Retirement Services.

Plans are under way for repairs to begin at both locations as soon as crews can start work, said Lloyd McWilliams, vice president of facilities management at Buckner. Most repairs will involve removing and replacing damaged carpet, he noted.

As of press time, Buckner officials were uncertain about when residents will be able to return to Beaumont. They are monitoring information provided by local officials.

“Buckner will have our staff in position to make repairs and clean up as soon as we are allowed in,” Wilson said. “We anticipate being able to move residents back in as soon as city services are restored and it is safe for residents to return.”

While many of the Calder Woods care and administrative staff have relocated to Dallas with residents, Charles Duit, director of food services at Calder Woods, stayed in Lufkin to provide food for the children and families there, and he moved to Camp Buckner with the group.

Duit and two of his staff members supervised the feeding of about 200 people left at First Baptist in Lufkin, working alongside the church's cooking staff.

Along with the senior adults, about 210 people were relocated from Buckner Children's Village in Beaumont, including 60 children in residential care, 20 caregivers–and an extended family of 20 staying at the children's home who were evacuated from New Orleans three weeks ago. In addition, Buckner relocated 59 foster children and their foster families and 61 Buckner staff family members. The group currently is housed at Buckner Children's Home in Dallas.

Felipe Garza, vice president and general manager of Buckner Children and Family Services, said he is awaiting further word about when the group can return to Beaumont.

Buckner officials said projected financial estimates indicate the combined Katrina and Rita disasters will cost the ministry a minimum of nearly $600,000.

For Calder Woods families seeking information about relatives affected by the relocation, Buckner has designated a response hotline to answer questions. Families may call (214) 758-8031 or email dhorton@buckner.org for 24-hour response. In addition, Buckner is asking displaced employees in Beaumont and Southeast Texas to contact the corporate office at (214) 758-8091, or toll free at (800) 442-4800, ext. 8091.