TCs, mighty floods and resilient people
Its been 5 years since I sunk my Avion TC and truck into the Mississippi river during a flood. Today, We went down to the river again.
Biblical rains have flooded our region, coming out of the SW. Here, in Southern Illinois, the race is on to defeat the river. As of this afternoon flood waters have not topped or breached the levees. But, people are struggling to save their crops, protect their homes and remove their valuables - especially their farm equipment.
Seemingly every grain truck for hundreds of miles rushed here to move grain to higher ground to save the harvest. Livestock is being rounded up.
Jane and I volunteered to move meals to the areas where soup kitchens have been organized to feed the emergency workers and volunteers. The food was prepared at the Knights of Columbus in Murphysboro, Illinois. We delivered it to St. Ann's Catholic Church in Raddle, Illinois. Here you can see Jane passing out pans of chicken and dumplings from our Avion TC. We delivered over 200 meals today.
At Grand Tower, Illinois, sandbags are being filled. Here you can see volunteers from the nearby Amish community.
Our deep hope is that the frantic preparations push back the River's floods.
There are many tragedies and victories that play out in these small towns and rural regions. Almost always unknown to the outside world. Jane and I are proud to help and be among these rural folk. We admire their unselfish devotion to each other in times of trouble.
I'll let you know if the levees hold.
Biblical rains have flooded our region, coming out of the SW. Here, in Southern Illinois, the race is on to defeat the river. As of this afternoon flood waters have not topped or breached the levees. But, people are struggling to save their crops, protect their homes and remove their valuables - especially their farm equipment.
Seemingly every grain truck for hundreds of miles rushed here to move grain to higher ground to save the harvest. Livestock is being rounded up.
Jane and I volunteered to move meals to the areas where soup kitchens have been organized to feed the emergency workers and volunteers. The food was prepared at the Knights of Columbus in Murphysboro, Illinois. We delivered it to St. Ann's Catholic Church in Raddle, Illinois. Here you can see Jane passing out pans of chicken and dumplings from our Avion TC. We delivered over 200 meals today.
At Grand Tower, Illinois, sandbags are being filled. Here you can see volunteers from the nearby Amish community.
Our deep hope is that the frantic preparations push back the River's floods.
There are many tragedies and victories that play out in these small towns and rural regions. Almost always unknown to the outside world. Jane and I are proud to help and be among these rural folk. We admire their unselfish devotion to each other in times of trouble.
I'll let you know if the levees hold.
