November is a time of gratitude and rainfall in Seattle. With that in mind, let us recognize the work of our amazing Plymouth Custodial Team. On Saturday, October 26, Rogie Eclipse noticed water dripping from the ceiling of the Sanctuary at the south wall as well as behind the organ. Early Sunday October 27, he found even more leaks and all buckets on the floor filling quickly.

Rogie went across the street to the former Hilton building where he assessed from above the rising water level bearing down on the roof of our Sanctuary. With the trap door to the roof blocked since the installation of the organ in 2015, there is no easy way for the Custodial Team to get onto the roof to periodically clear drains.

Thanks to the quick thinking and ingenuity of Rogie, Josué Hernandez Aparicio and Mark Marcial, they succeeded in opening one of the drainpipes using a “bamboo gun” strategy: they cut part of the pipe down at ground level, inserted a garden hose into the pipe, and turned it on full pressure. Despite loss of pressure due to gravity, the hose dislodged the blockage and the water trapped on the roof drained through that single pipe—for well over an hour!

Disasters avoided are often ignored. Given the many ways the Plymouth building is ailing, our Custodial Team are working everyday miracles. Please share your appreciation to Gener Rillo, Rogie Eclipse, Josué Hernandez Aparicio, Cameron Florey and Mark Marcial.

-Kate Forrester