HARDWICK – Local couple Candy Parchment and Mike Morin recalled their experience with the historic July 9 flooding of 2023, on Parchment’s property on Route 15 West, across from the Lamoille River. In their nine years of partnership, the two had not witnessed a weather event so devastating to our community.
It began with heavy rain, which Parchment had anticipated. She expressed the warnings were thorough and helpful in her preparation for this weather.
The small brook on her property “turned into a raging river, overflowing into the barn; water rushed over the lawn and into the field across the road, merging with the Lamoille River, as it was rising higher and higher.
“We were fortunate the river didn’t go over the embankment.” Parchment credits the embankment with sparing her house from the flooding.
She expressed her empathy for those whose homes were damaged. “You hear about your friends and the flooding, and their homes and whatnot. It’s devastating.”
That afternoon, worried for his partner, Morin made his way slowly across town to check on her. As he attempted to leave later that evening, Morin saw it was completely flooded in front of Hardwick’s fire station. There was no way he could get across the flooded street and subsequently returned to Candy’s house.
The next morning, the couple awoke to find themselves trapped. Damage to the nearby bridge and various washouts left Mike and Candy waiting for road repairs to begin. According to the couple, road access was reopened swiftly, allowing Mike to return home the following day.
Both Candy and Mike commended fast response from various agencies and departments responsible for the immediate post-flooding repair work.
“They did a good job, they really did with that bridge, and I think everywhere really. There was a lot of damage done, but we were fortunate,” Parchment said.
Although neither experienced any damage to their homes, they both agreed the community’s support to those displaced by the flood was admirable.
Raymonda Parchment
