By Lisa Goudy
The past few months have been a whirlwind of change for Andrea Neff and her family.
On Father's Day, June 19, they - like many others - were forced to move out of their Roche Percee home due to flooding.
"We lost our house," said Neff. "We spent the summer in Bienfait in the campers that the RM had rented there, so it wasn't too bad. We had a place to stay and lots of our neighbours there, so it was nice to have them around for support."
But after a summer living in a trailer amongst others in the parking lot of the Bienfait curling rink, the Neffs are finally back in a house.
Neff, who lives with her husband and their two kids aged six and 12, managed to buy a place in Roche Percee unaffected by flooding - her husband's mother's home. Although the possession date isn't until Oct. 13, they moved into the house on Sunday.
"It was getting a little chilly at night to be in the camper," she said.
As of Monday, most residents had found another place to live. While there were plans for a temporary subdivision in Roche Percee, a report in the Estevan Mercury said those plans have been dismissed.
Back when the Souris River started overflowing in the spring, the Neffs did what they could and emptied their basement contents to the main floor.
"In the end it didn't matter," she said. "We had about five feet of water on the main floor. It was about eye level to me."
The house is scheduled to be demolished.
While Gaylene Gyorfi is also out of the Bienfait trailers, the fate of her acreage home is still in limbo.
A decision still has to be made under the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program as to whether the house has to be repaired or destroyed.
Only three suitcases of clothes were salvaged, one for her and one for each of her teenagers.
"It's still hard to believe," said Gyorfi.
They spent six weeks in a camper, an experience she described as tough, but "better than a tent."
She found rental accommodation in Estevan on Aug. 1. She said rent is high and their pets aren't allowed.
Despite the circumstances, she considers herself lucky.
"I had good neighbours that took my horses in to look after," said Gyorfi. "We've had really, really good friends to keep us going."
Neff has high hopes for the future of Roche Percee.
"It really was a beautiful place to live down there," she said. "It's a little piece of heaven out here. So I hope it can return to somewhat of what it was. I know it'll never be the same."
The past few months have been a whirlwind of change for Andrea Neff and her family.
On Father's Day, June 19, they - like many others - were forced to move out of their Roche Percee home due to flooding.
"We lost our house," said Neff. "We spent the summer in Bienfait in the campers that the RM had rented there, so it wasn't too bad. We had a place to stay and lots of our neighbours there, so it was nice to have them around for support."
But after a summer living in a trailer amongst others in the parking lot of the Bienfait curling rink, the Neffs are finally back in a house.
Neff, who lives with her husband and their two kids aged six and 12, managed to buy a place in Roche Percee unaffected by flooding - her husband's mother's home. Although the possession date isn't until Oct. 13, they moved into the house on Sunday.
"It was getting a little chilly at night to be in the camper," she said.
As of Monday, most residents had found another place to live. While there were plans for a temporary subdivision in Roche Percee, a report in the Estevan Mercury said those plans have been dismissed.
Back when the Souris River started overflowing in the spring, the Neffs did what they could and emptied their basement contents to the main floor.
"In the end it didn't matter," she said. "We had about five feet of water on the main floor. It was about eye level to me."
The house is scheduled to be demolished.
While Gaylene Gyorfi is also out of the Bienfait trailers, the fate of her acreage home is still in limbo.
A decision still has to be made under the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program as to whether the house has to be repaired or destroyed.
Only three suitcases of clothes were salvaged, one for her and one for each of her teenagers.
"It's still hard to believe," said Gyorfi.
They spent six weeks in a camper, an experience she described as tough, but "better than a tent."
She found rental accommodation in Estevan on Aug. 1. She said rent is high and their pets aren't allowed.
Despite the circumstances, she considers herself lucky.
"I had good neighbours that took my horses in to look after," said Gyorfi. "We've had really, really good friends to keep us going."
Neff has high hopes for the future of Roche Percee.
"It really was a beautiful place to live down there," she said. "It's a little piece of heaven out here. So I hope it can return to somewhat of what it was. I know it'll never be the same."
A previous Leader-Post article on the subject, including a photo.
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