Trying to Rebuild GULFPORT, IL (wium) - It's peaceful on the banks of the Mississippi River at Gulfport. The birds are chirping and the water is slowly splashing against the bank. In fact, it's so peaceful, you might not realize that one year ago, the scene was not so serene.

As you drive around the town there are empty houses and broken down vehicles. Debris is everywhere. The flood was one year ago, but to many of the residents rebuilding, it seems like just yesterday.

Residents gathered at the Gulfport Fire House to meet with federal lawmakers and state department leaders to find out what help is still available. Some residents were concerned about rebuilding the levee that failed last year. Others voiced their frustrations with the reimbursement process.

Sonnie Gebhardt is from Carman. She lost everything in the flood. Gebhardt came to the meeting to find out if there is more money out there for the people of Henderson County to rebuild. "You hear of everything going to Iowa and it seems like nothing is coming to the Illinois side," Gebhardt says. "I wanted to know why we don't have funding for people just to rebuild and get their lives back."

Gebhardt says her home is elevated 12-feet off the ground yet flood waters rose above the counter tops in her kitchen. Gebhardt says she received the maximum amount of funding from FEMA. That was more than $28,000. But she says that is not nearly enough. "That doesn't even cover a-quarter of what it is to repair your house," says Gebhardt. "And then we had to find a place to live. You have to try to replace what was lost. So you're stuck at ground zero with a house you can't live in."


Mark Ford is another person whose family was hurt by the flood. "My father and mother lost their home," says Ford. "It gets me because mom passed away after the flood last year. We suffered greatly, our family did." Ford did not lose his home. But the flood damaged his farm land. Ford will not be able to plant crops in all of his fields this year.

Henderson County Board Chair Marty Lafary says it has been a long year, but feels a lot has been accomplished. "There's been a lot of meetings, a lot of behind the scenes things," Lafary says. "A year sounds like a long time for you and I, but for your federal government and state agencies it's just a drop in the bucket. But it's going well and it's getting better day by day."

Lafary says the county needs to do a better job of explaining information to residents. Lafary says more funding and grant dollars are coming to the county for residents to tap in to.

Representatives from various state agencies attended the meeting in Gulfport. They all shared the same message. We are here until the end. When the end will come is still unknown.

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