Duct Cleaning in Springfield, GA

City Water, Light and Power crews have returned to Springfield after a nearly two-week trip to Georgia where they helped restore power after Hurricane Helene had hit.

Two crews and a supervisor traveled to Douglas, a town with a population around 12,000 that is near the center of the state. Initially headed for the city of Marietta, crews were reassigned mid-journey based on needs in the region.

CWLP participates in a mutual aid agreement through the American Public Power Association and the Illinois Municipal Utility Association that shares resources when disasters happen.

The crews arrived in Douglas the night of Sept. 27 after the hurricane tore through the area earlier that morning.

The two job foremen that traveled there described the town as having trees down everywhere and lines down. They said roads were largely impassable. There was no electricity, running water, cell service, or maps when crews arrived.

The crews joined a peak total of around 160 other linemen in the town, though there were 70 to 90 linemen there for most of the time. Crews worked to repair larger circuits on major transmission lines and poles to restore power to the community.

“One thing that touched me in a way – the community, even though it was mass devastation – the community was very giving,” said Bill Lewis, one of the CWLP foremen. “We had laundry service for an example. They went and washed our clothes. While I thought that was going to be a commercial laundry service, I had no idea until we got our clothes back that it was individual families that were washing our laundry in their house.”

Children left notes in the laundry, thanking the workers, he added.

Local churches, too, offered goody bags with water, energy drinks, deodorant, and more thank you notes.

Power was restored to Douglas by the time the crews left, CWLP said. A local news outlet further detailed that on Oct. 4, the distribution lines had been restored and crews were able to restore power to individual homes.

The crews from Springfield all ventured on a volunteer-basis. Lewis said a lot of it has to do with pride in his work.

Most of the crews have assisted in disasters before, the linemen said who spoke to The State Journal-Register. They recalled traveling to Hurricanes like Irma in 2017 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

“It’s pretty devastating,” Huff said. “You’re there to help serve the public get the lights on, but then at the same time, you’ve got this gut-wrenching feeling for all of these customers that lost their house, their roof, their everything.”

But while the hours are long, from 16 to 18 hours daily while assisting, the work is otherwise what the workers are accustomed to, said Kyle Clark, the other foremen on the trip.

The crews could be called to Hurricane Milton as the storm begins to thrash Florida’s west coast.

Tom Ackerman covers breaking news and trending news along with general news for the Springfield State Journal-Register. He can be reached at tackerman@gannett.com.

Ricky Eilerman’s drive through Springfield always gave him Mayberry vibes. Neighbors shared conversations over a cup of joe at the local coffee shop and strangers waved as motorists cruised down the street.

But there was one part of Laurel Drive that was not easy on the eyes.

A building that once housed a heating and air conditioning company caught fire one day. The sight of soot and debris was enough to make Eilerman distressed. “Years went by and I wondered why no one had done anything with this building,” he said.

Turns out, it was waiting on him.

The owner was not moved by previous desires to take over the building, but Eilerman’s request was approved.

“The building wasn't for sale, so I just went and talked to him,” said Ricky. “He said that everybody had tried to buy his building, but he never felt like he wanted to sell it until he met us. I looked at the building one last time and kept thinking it just needs something. This town is doing so good. We have Flacos Tacos and Dee Moncrief has her venue. We needed something else – something different.”

Eilerman was convinced it would be the perfect gathering place for the community. He recruited his buddies to renovate the dilapidated structure now known as The Railyard. The 4,000 square foot unit is home to several businesses, including 13 Stars, a speakeasy-themed bar and performance venue.

National guardsman and family friend Zac Hayes said he was moved by Eilerman’s motivation to bring something good to Springfield. Together, the pair co-owns Railyard Media, a photography and videography business that operates inside The Railyard.“Ricky and Ivy Eilerman saw a vision in their head and it turned into something I never thought could have been possible from where we started,” said Hayes. “That is something I admired about them. They looked into the future. They can see things for what they can be.”

But that was not all the Eilerman’s wanted to do in Effingham County. Ricky was determined to spring forth a new movement to rid the county of its checkered past.

“We were trying to think of something and we came up with What the Effingham because I think Effingham gets such a bad stigma but it's such a good place to live,” said Eilerman. “So we said let's take that negative stigma and do something good.”

The popular phrase has caught the attention of residents. The Eilermans sell "What the Effingham" merchandise and hope the t-shirts and tumblers that don the catchy phrase will ignite a sense of pride throughout the county.

As for their venue, The Railyard is becoming a popular meet up spot for residents. Budding artists can record music in the studio, companies can host corporate events and friends can gather for watch parties. The addition of The Railyard is one of the many businesses bringing Springfield back to life.

“People have told us they wish we were open more often,” said Ivy. “It’s a place where adults can enjoy playing cornhole with their kids and things like that. It’s like a multifunctional family-friendly space. Everybody in Springfield says we need this.”

Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached atlwilliams6@gannett.com.