Volunteers needed to clean up Hampton

HAMPTON, Va. - Hampton leaders say storm damage in their city is $13.5 million and growing.  For some, it's just too much to handle on their own. 

Assistant City Manager Mary Bunting says volunteers are desperately needed and the city will take anyone who can step forward to help.

In the Bailey's Park area of Hampton, debris from storm clean up lines the street.  A lot of that debris is from Sonja and Art Hawthorne's home, hit hard by flood waters.

"You can see the water line over here," said Sonja pointing to storm damage on the wall of her home. "It ran into the AC ducts."

Dishes are piled high in the Hawthorne's kitchen, now drained of the water once calf deep in the kitchen. "I had to take everything out and put it on top and get the water out," said Sonja.

Everywhere you look in the home, there is damage.

"Can you feel it?" asked Sonja as she stepped on her hardwood floor. "It's buckling already."

Her hardwood floors and walls were replaced after Hurricane Isabel, only to replaced again after the November nor'easter.  Behind the house runs a stream that eventually crested the banks, picked up her lawn furniture and threw it in a pile several yards away.

However, Sonja's main concern has nothing to do with broken furniture. Her focus is on getting her home cleaned for her husband's health. "He was just diagnosed with cancer in September."

Inside, there's a lot of heavy and damaged furniture that needs moved.

"He can't really do much. It's in his bones and he can't lift anything," says Sonja.

That's why the city of Hampton and the Hawthornes hope volunteers will step forward to help, but no matter how tough it gets, Sonja knows her family has the strength to make it through. "We did Isabel. We can do it again."

Volunteers will be out Tuesday and Wednesday in the Bailey Park area.  If you'd like to volunteer, city officials say you should contact a local church or Red Cross.

It's also important to know who is volunteering to help at your home.  You have to be cautious of random people showing up at your door to help.  If they're not a neighbor you know or with a legitimate organization, you shouldn't let them into your home.