Staff from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester's Providence Housing Development Corp. and LeCesse Construction Co. traveled  to Owego, Nichols and Apalachin last month to rebuild homes damaged in last year’s flood. Although the flooding occurred last year, many residents still have been unable to move back home, and are living with relatives or  in emergency housing trailers.

Providence Housing, headquartered in Rochester, and West Henrietta-based LeCesse donated expert staff time for approximately one week to rebuild homes -- targeting up to a dozen for repair at no cost to the homeowners.

Cliff Lake has lived on Miller Beach Road  in Owego for 50 years. In that time, his house has only flooded twice, once in 2005 and again in 2006.  During the 2005 100-year flood, the house was flooded by 14 inches of water, but during the 2006 500-year flood the water reached 5 feet! 

Cliff was able to repair the damage from the 2005 flood in a few months and move back into the house, but during 2006 the house sustained much more damage. 

The work done by Providence House and Lecessee Construction will make it possible for Cliff and his wife Connie to move back into the home soon.
 

Right:  Angela Klopf  works on the Lakes’ house. Angela is the local Tioga County Person who organized and coordinated the work week from Catholic Charities Tioga Outreach Center located in Waverly. Below: Lori Foster from Providence House in Rochester and Betty Brayer from Saint Mary’s of the Lake in Ontario, NY,  cut sheet rock at the Lake’s house on Miller Beach Road in Owego.