ACC Prepares to Return to Campus

The evening of the Anne Carlsen Center evacuation, dozens of volunteers--including many Jamestown College students--helped ACC staff fill and place thousands of sandbags around ACC.

A flood-related displacement that began with a March 23 evacuation of the Anne Carlsen Center (ACC) is nearing its end. Students and staff will return to ACC’s Jamestown Campus beginning Thursday, June 11. The return is expected to take two full days, wrapping up the afternoon of Friday, June 12.

“The time is right for us to move back,” says Anne Carlsen Center CEO Dan Howell. “We are confident that the individuals we serve will be safe and that we won’t have to evacuate again.”

ACC, which serves individuals with a wide array of developmental disabilities, evacuated its staff and 56 students the evening of March 23 after emergency officials assessed the flooding threats to the campus and urged immediate relocation to other sites in Jamestown. ACC staff was assigned to each location, providing reassuring environments and continuity of care.

The Center’s temporary homes became Jamestown Hospital, Heritage Centre-Ave Maria Village, Hi-Acres Manor Nursing Center, and Jamestown Civic Center. ACC students at the Jamestown Civic Center were relocated, along with staff, on April 1 because sandbagging operations for the city were set to begin there on April 2. They were welcomed to Zebedee Center at St. John’s Academy. Atonement Lutheran Church provided space for ACC therapists to continue to serve outpatient clients, Trinity Lutheran Church allowed teachers and students to use a large portion of its building for classroom learning and activities, and Stutsman County Housing Authority provided office space for ACC Community Services staff.

While the original threat to the ACC Campus was overland flooding in the area, river flooding later became a major concern, as the campus is located along the James River. Nearly a dozen pumps, clay levees, a Rapid Deployment Flood Wall, and dedicated individuals and entities kept the main campus building and nearby cottages from being inundated with water. Only the basement of the main building and the guest house garage were flooded. The guest house foundation was damaged beyond repair.

Staff found a variety of ways to infuse fun
into each school day at the relocation sites,
for instance, the day in which everyone
donned wigs, hats and face paint and
learned about clowns and the circus.

The Center’s displacement lasted nearly three months due to the large number of flooding threats the campus continued to face. In addition, a hasty return could have jeopardized the safety of the individuals served by the Center—children and young adults with varied and specialized needs. The risk of a second evacuation, says Howell, couldn’t be taken.

“It’s safe for us to return now because the James River has gone down about a foot and a half,” explains Howell. “There is more storage in the reservoir if a large rain event happens. Also, the sanitary sewer system is holding its own.”

Over the last month, certain staff had started the process of returning, with office staff coming back first. Floor-to-ceiling cleaning of the interior and removal of sandbags from the entrances have been among the tasks being completed before the campus is fully occupied by the more than 300 staff and 56 students.

Howell says that while the flood fight and evacuation demanded a lot of time, energy and emotional resources, the Center handled the circumstances superbly, and will—in the end—be even stronger.

“This was a defining moment for this organization,” says Howell. “Staff truly demonstrated service about self, compassion and encouragement. I am so impressed by the quality of our workforce and the dedication to the safety of our students and clients.”

ACC’s Chief Operating Officer Marcia Gums says the positive and people-first mission and values of the Center were especially helpful during these challenging times.

“Everyone demonstrated the right attitude, endurance and patience, while focusing on the students and what they need,” says Gums.

Pastor JoAnne Moeller visited each
of the relocation sites often to pray and
sing with the students.

The Anne Carlsen Center is also thankful for a supportive and generous community.

“Words cannot describe adequately the heartfelt thanks to everybody,” says Howell. “Throughout the last several months, we have seen … in so many ways … how strong and sincere our community support is.”

From volunteers—including many Jamestown College students—who helped sandbag in pouring rain and even a blizzard … to the numerous host organizations who provided shelter and support … the community provided assistance and compassion during ACC’s flood fight and displacement.

“Ever since the night we evacuated, people have been asking, ‘What do you need?’” says Deb Suess, an ACC Home Life Services Coordinator. “The community support has been amazing.”

The ACC students—including the 19 considered medically fragile—have also amazed many. The evacuation and months away from campus did not keep them from living life to its fullest.

“The students are so resilient,” says Dr. Myra Quanrud, ACC’s Medical Director. “The key has been consistent care and being around people they know so well.”

Many friendships have been made along the way, and there’s talk of continuing the relationships between ACC and several of the host organizations, even after the return to campus