The Canton Flood Victim Relief Fund has received $10,000 in donations.
By Eileen M. Adams
Staff Writer

CANTON – Emergency personnel have a chance to rest. Most people are back in their homes.

Still, work continues to fix the more than $2 million in damage caused by mid-December’s flood.

Selectman Sue Gammon is one of those who has devoted untold hours to the paperwork, meetings and other tasks resulting from the flood that left about 50 families temporarily homeless, flooded basements, floated woodpiles, and prompted the move of 47 elementary children to classes in nearby Dixfield.

A tentative estimate of flood damage came in at $2.1 million. That figure, however, has yet to be confirmed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which will make the final decision, and by doing so possibly allow the town to be declared a disaster area.

Gammon said Wednesday that FEMA representatives visited the town and will visit again next week to continue their damage estimates.

Meanwhile, people from across Maine have made donations to the families who sustained damage. Nearly $10,000 has been donated to the Canton Flood Victim Fund, including a $100 donation from a special fund-raiser held by students at Livermore Falls Middle School. Businesses, organizations and individuals from all over have given money to the fund.

Gammon said Community Concepts will begin administering the donations to victims next week. The money will be used to help fill gaps that insurance and FEMA won’t fill, she said.

“We’ve never had so many government agencies here,” she said, adding that the town had not received donations for flood victims in the past.

The 47 students at Canton Elementary School, located on the floodplain of the Androscoggin River, have been attending classes at Dixfield Elementary School since Dec. 22.

SAD 21 Superintendent Tom Ward said he hopes the youngsters can return to their classrooms by the end of next week.

The flood water poured into the basement of the school, causing asbestos tile to start lifting. Workers are removing the carcinogen, and cleaning and painting the floors. Ward said about $15,000 in damage to the school resulted from the flooding.

“We felt we were fortunate that there wasn’t more damage,” he said.

Dixfield and Canton elementary schools’ Principal Kathy Richard said the youngsters, in grades kindergarten through four, are grouped in classes at Dixfield Elementary School’s art room, library and portable classroom.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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