08/20/2026
Friends, my twin sister Sherry and I really need your help. Our family home and adjoining property (four buildings in total) were flooded on the evening of August 11th and in the transition of property ownership to us we had not yet renewed the flood insurance policy prior to this event, which has put us in a very difficult position. The water receded the next morning, August 12th, and our family home received 10” to 14” of water (a foot or more in most areas that we measured), and today, after several days of constant downpours and flash flooding, we were able to get into the barn at the back of our property, an even lower-lying area, finding our dad’s bike had been completely submerged and determining a waterline of over four feet (49 ½”).
We lost our dad 11 months ago today and Sherry removing his bike from the barn this afternoon, discovering it in the state that it was, and then watching it be hauled away to the dumpster, was very emotional for us. Dad passed September 19, 2025, at the age of 95, wholeheartedly evergreen and generous to his family, friends, neighbors and strangers his entire life. We never took for granted the rare opportunity of having a dad with the life experience and wisdom of the Silent Generation.
PHOTO: Oct. 6, 2022 - Dad, 93, on his new bike we got him for his birthday that June, in front of the former Trimble Post Office where he served as postmaster for nearly 43 years. Dad and our grandpa were our community’s postmasters for the entire tenure of the 3 Congress Street location from 1945 to 2010.
PHOTOS: August 19, 2026 – Dad’s bike and our small barn, although the siding was repainted and new doors installed last year, it was built by our maternal grandfather using architectural salvage from his family’s 1800s farmhouse. As children we had two ponies Bill and Jinx and then later pet lambs Brandy, Caradale and Rosie that we had shown for 4-H at the Athens County and Ohio State fairs. This was their home.
IMAGE: July 26, 2026 – Sherry and I hosted a pop-up event at the former Trimble Post Office building as a first step to engage residents’ interest and support for its rehabilitation as a community resource and to honor our family’s legacy of public service. The post office is also unfortunately flooded but we haven’t gotten a chance to assess the damage or do anything about it. The photo at the top is of the post office on July 4, 2026, and Dad is pictured in the photo below on the last day of post office operations April 29, 2010.
For the initial clearing, cleaning and drying out, we are in immediate need of:
• Financial support (Sherry and I cannot work while we are recovering from the flood and we need help paying bills, utilities that will be much higher due to water usage for cleaning and running dehumidifiers and fans around the clock, gas and groceries)
• Manual labor to 1) help us move things out of our family home and three other structures (post office building, house next door and barn) to the dumpster and to dry, covered areas to save or determine salvageability and 2) clean and dry out all spaces
• Rental of 1-2 large event tents, large tarps and packing boxes to create dry, covered areas to place items to be saved or determined whether salvageable
• Cleaning tools and supplies, safety gear, drying equipment (fans and dehumidifiers)
We are currently accepting donations by mail at P.O. Box 155, Trimble, OH 45782 as well as via PayPal ([email protected]), Venmo () and Cash App (SherylDavis26). Please contact me at [email protected] with questions or ideas for more specific ways to help. Thank you for your time and consideration.
