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Residents return to homes with tree damage, lack of power

Most residents returned to St. Charles Parish last week to find their homes without power and their yards littered with branches. But for some, the damage was extensive.

Steve Matherne, who lives in the tree-heavy area of Luling, came home to find a huge tree uprooted and leaning on his garage. Matherne, who had recently remodeled the interior of his home, knows the damage could have been much worse.

“The tree damaged the garage, but a few roof repairs will be all it takes to recover,” Matherne said.

To illustrate just how lucky he was, Matherne points to a “This House Believes” sign that still remains planted firmly in his yard – even though fallen branches surround it completely.

And while residents will take time to recover from Hurricane Gustav, the storm did seem to bring out the best in the people of the parish.

Matherne says that his neighbors all banded together and helped him with his cleanup efforts.

Fellow Luling resident Peter Young also noticed the support that each of the residents have offered to each other.

“The whole neighborhood has gotten together and helped each other,” he said. “Our neighbor let us sleep at his house because he had a generator.”

For some, the help came from nearby family members.

Des Allemands resident Betty Savoie says that her son Kerry and her grandson Austin have been at her house helping her cleanup each day.

“We don’t have power, so I’ve been with them in Luling at night,” she said. “But during the day, they’ve been here cutting grass and making repairs.”

Another Des Allemands resident, Katina Lee, says that her neighbor Kurt Granier made sure her yard was picked up and repairs were made.

“He has been over here a lot helping me cleanup,” she said. “We’ve all been banding together and are cutting grass and picking up limbs.”

Those same residents also believe that the parish did a great job of both keeping them informed and making sure roads were cleared.

“I think it was great this time,” Savoie said. “I am worried about the way it will go if it happens again because I’ve talked to several people who said they wouldn’t leave next time. But that’s just crazy.

“It could flood next time just like it could have this time.”

Randy Rogers, who works for the parish, also said that things went well.

“Everything went smoothly,” he said. “It’s just like the cooperation in the neighborhoods with everybody grouping together and helping each other.”

Young cited the work of St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne and the information the parish got out to its residents.

“Greg did a good job and he allowed everyone to come back at their own will,” he said. “We were kept informed and knew that when we got back we would be doing what we’ve been doing – camping out.

“We were very fortunate though.”