Irene turned Vt. flood victim into an activist - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-

Irene turned Vt. flood victim into an activist

By LISA RATHKE
Associated Press

BERLIN, Vt. (AP) - Sandy Gaffney lost the first home she ever owned when Tropical Storm Irene tore through her Vermont mobile home park last August.

But after months of struggle, she's moved back to Weston's Mobile Home Park in Berlin, into a renovated trailer. She's also turned into an activist, helping other flood victims.

More than 560 mobile homes were damaged or destroyed when Irene hit Vermont, but just 150 homeowners received the maximum FEMA payment initially. Many mobile home owners were faced with paying thousands of dollars to have their trailers removed.

The state, the Vermont Community Foundation and others eventually raised enough money to remove the damaged trailers. And the governor condemned 131 trailers so the owners could receive FEMA funding.

Gaffney is still crusading for relief for others displaced by the storm.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.