While most of us had our summer attention turned to beach towels and BBQ’s, others in our Red Cross region donned their disaster work clothes and supported the flooding response on the US-Canadian border. Most of the relief work focused on assisting residents and local government officials as they prepared for high waters along several lakes and rivers in Koochiching and northern St. Louis counties.
More than 50 Red Cross volunteers served during the response. Some people responded virtually — working from their home base (wherever that is in Minnesota or Wisconsin) — organizing food donations, coordinating workers or arranging technology support for the operation. Others had their high-water boots on-the-ground in and around Loman, Ranier or other flood-affected areas in northern Minnesota. There, they handed out cold beverages, bandaged cuts or surveyed threatened neighborhoods where residents worked hours and hours placing sandbags in advance of the flooding.
Most would agree that it’s a privilege to work with people who put aside their lives for a time when others –generally strangers — need them. Thank you to everyone, especially the volunteers, who served during this flooding response.
It’s time now to get some rest before you’re needed again.
Click here to see photos from the response.
Click here to learn about becoming a Red Cross volunteer.
American Red Cross 