Lakers living in Houston help faculty member

A group of Grand Valley alumni lent a helping hand to a fellow Laker whose childhood home in Houston flooded due to Hurricane Harvey. 

The house where Scott Stabler, professor of history, grew up and where his mother lived for more than 50 years was set to be sold in early September.

"To save the house from demolition, it had to be dried out so mold wouldn't accumulate," Stabler said. 

He contacted five former students who live and work in Houston, including Kelli Andrascik. She graduated in 2014 with a degree in education and social studies, and teaches at a high school in a suburb west of Houston.  

"I was really fortunate not to experience flooding," she said. "As soon as it was safe to leave my house, I went to find people who could use an extra hand cleaning out their homes."

Andrascik said the group had to walk through waist-deep water to get to the front door of Stabler's mother's house.

"When we arrived, there was mold already starting to form on the walls and in the carpet, which was completely wet," she said, "but we were able to gut and clean the house in two days." 

Stabler said someone has been back every day to check on the house. 

"Thanks to these Grand Valley alumni, the house was the first one cleaned up on the block," he said.