My wife and I spent the better part of today volunteering through United Way in Rushford. We staged on a school bus in Peterson and were dropped off by the 5’s or 6’s in town. The five of us (my wife included) helped a family clean mold off the basement interior foundation, that is after it had subsided from a few inches from the roof of the basement during the flood :-/.
I worked with another guy taking refuse out of a guy’s garage (he’s a mechanic, so you can imagine the items he had ruined by four foot high water through there). Other on our bus tore out dry wall, floorings, ceilings, and anything (which is everything) damaged by water. E. Coli is rampant here, so discarding almost everything is the norm.
I travel through Rushford 25 times a year either by fishing excursions or bow hunting to the south in Yucatan. Rushford’s the kind of typical small town that relies on internal infrastructure and isn’t remotely like its neighbor to the west, Lanesboro (affectionately called Wisconsin Dells West). I like the town; I know people who live in the town; and as a teacher, I know people who teach and coach in the town. They will overcome…
…BUT they have a long ways to go. Many of the people in the Ru$h Creek flood plain still need assistance tearing out damaged walls, stairs, removing appliances, and the likes. Seeing Rushford up close and personal reminded a great deal of seeing pictures of Louisiana and Mississippi after Katrina. These people have lost literally everything.
If you can find the time, look into volunteering your efforts toward Rushford. They are a long ways from recovery. Many people have just put for sale signs in their yard, said p!ss on it, and have decided to move on. Pretty sad in the big picture of small town Americana.
Many others have decided to stay, but they need your help. Check into signing up and helping do what you can: http://www.uwolmsted.org.
I know I’ve been deeply moved by today and have already looked into signing up again this month. I hope you can do the same.
Regards,
D.A.
