By LESLEE BASSMAN, Four Points News

Neighbors look out for neighbors during the historic winter storm event that gripped Texas in mid February.

Ice

In one example, River Place neighbors looked out for the single mother of two sons, taking care of her pool and de-icing the steps of her home among other good deeds.

“I had so many people check on me,” said Sally Grogono, a River Place resident who recently went through a divorce. “2020 was a rough year, beyond rough, and the start of 2021 has not been much better. Honestly it’s the kindness of friends and neighbors that have made this year doable.”

Grogono lacked water for much of last week but thankfully the community had power. 

River Place resident Scott Koester bought heating cables at Home Depot before the storm hit, saving Grogono’s faucets. He also advised her to put her pool equipment in “service mode.” Without a shovel, Grogono struggled to get down her front porch, a necessity to take her ailing dog to the bathroom. Enter neighbor Randall Jamieson, who cleared her steps and door step while Carolyn Doss brought water to her home.

A clear path was crucial for Grogono, who is a physician on call. Her business partners helped out by taking her shifts as driving would have meant traveling uphill to get out of the subdivision, a task that was much too dangerous for The Greens resident.

“Everybody’s been so kind,” Grogono said. “It just gives you faith in humanity again. It really does.”

Water pipes

Steiner Ranch resident Jim Cathcart agrees. After moving to Four Points, the California transplant said he quickly assimilated into the Texas culture. As a writer as well as a musician, Cathcart noted Austin’s thriving music culture.

“The Texas attitude is self-reliance and freedom and lending a helping hand,” he said.

And last week’s experience proved Cathcart right.

With the worst of the storm over, he and his wife breathed a sigh of relief, dodging the bullet of broken water pipes. Their home in the University of Texas Golf Club area never lost power. However, the couple relaxed too soon. 

“A neighbor who was out walking his dog came up to the door and said, ‘excuse me but you’ve got a fountain in your front yard,’” Cathcart said.

Finding the shutoff valve spewing water seven feet in the air, he searched for a tool to turn off the water, with his neighbor staying to help. Ultimately, they found another resident who loaned him the correct tool for the fix and they wrestled to turn off the water.

But Cathcart’s story doesn’t end there.

Another Steiner neighbor provided a temporary fix to the issue and turned the water back on, including a gratis Home Depot run. 

“This guy must have put three or four hours of his time into it,” Cathcart said, adding that part of the work was done at night. 

Stranded vehicles

River Place’s Dan Mohan joined Westminster Glen pals Mark Seraphine, Erik Vandenburgh, Kenny Gorman, Zach Corbell and Brett Conway for several long days last week, pulling about 25 stranded vehicles to safety after drivers got stuck on the area’s hills, including Big View Drive. One 18-wheeler truck driver was helped by the group after being rerouted from RM 2222 through Westminster Glen and River Place, Mohan said. 

“These were exceptional circumstances and, through no fault of their own, many people found themselves genuinely in need of help,” Mohan said. “If I’m being honest, pure altruism account(ed) for perhaps half of the motivation for our day masquerading as amateur arborists in the neighborhood. The other half was a legitimate excuse for boys trapped in adult bodies to spend the afternoon playing with chainsaws.”

Firewood

Sande Dang, a Four Points resident living just outside of Steiner Ranch, sang the praises of Bryan Hisey and his team at Certified Tree Care who spent part of the week delivering firewood to those without power.

“He and his staff brought (firewood) without asking for anything in return,” Dang said.

Although she hasn’t met him in person, Hisey messaged Dang to make sure she received the delivery and inquired as to anything else she might need.

Through his local firewood manufacturing facility, Hisey said he first responded to a request from a single mother with three children who needed firewood for heat. Crews loaded trucks up with the firewood and delivered.

“I’m just happy we were in a position to help,” Hisey said.

From there, word of firewood deliveries spread through the community, finding its way to Dang.

“Without him and his guys’ help, most of us probably (couldn’t have found) ways to survive and stay warm in that frigid temperature,” Dang said. “We couldn’t be more grateful for his generosity and caring.”

Tree limbs

After living in the community for 25 years with his wife Joanne, Grandview Hills’ Brian Saathoff called last week “challenging.” With the start of the storm, he helped neighbors cut down tree limbs. However, without power for 30 hours, Saathoff said the temperatures fell to about 45 degrees inside his home and he could see his breath indoors. 

He said he embraced the Pedernales Energy Cooperative workers when they were out searching for repair spots so residents could warm up.

“You just have to thank those guys,” Saathoff said. “They’re out there in the freezing cold weather.”

He said one of the workmen remarked that he hadn’t been home for 36 hours and couldn’t check on the pipes within his own walls.

“Those guys are real big heroes to step up and put themselves second to everybody else,” Saathoff said. “That’s just huge.”

Groceries

Summer Vista’s Steve Brown discovered that one good turn deserves another last week. With a sparse pantry, the community brought Brown food. In return, he took firewood to those who needed heat and shut off many residents’ water. Brown touted others who took in a grandmother and her young children from the cold as well as neighbor Jim Fitzgerald who delivered diabetes medicine to a stranded resident in his four-wheel drive vehicle. 

After seven years in the community, he said “people help each other.”

“The hidden gem in all this is it makes you feel good to help somebody,” Brown said.

Meritage at Steiner Ranch resident Deanne Nelson will long remember last week’s storm, not for the treacherous conditions it produced but for the sense of community she experienced. The power in her home went off last Monday around 2:30 a.m., and didn’t return until Saturday. At 64 years old and disabled, Nelson was left with only a few nutrition bars and oyster crackers after throwing out the spoiled food in her refrigerator and freezer. 

“Then the calvary came,” Nelson said.

Neighbors brought candles and food — pasta, rice, water and drinks — to the complex’s residents. When power was restored to half of the complex midweek, those fortunate residents cooked for their apartment neighbors who were still in the dark. Restaurants donated hot meals on Friday night and kind souls brought firewood to her doorstep, actions Nelson called “totally amazing.”

“I’ve never experienced a neighborhood like this and I was overwhelmed with appreciation,” she said.