Helping in Devastated Rushford

Matt and I joined my Uncle Jeff (left), Uncle Steve (upper right), Aunt Sue (lower right), and Sue's dad Harold for a sobering experience this weekend. We went to my Grandpa and Grandma Karlson's old house and helped the current owners who were gutting it out. It was demolition duty with hammers, crow bars, sledgehammers, shovels and much, much more. Today I am paying for it with sore muscles and absolutely no energy.

It was very meaningful to be able to help at my grandparent's old house where I have so many childhood memories. The main floor is about the feet above ground, and the water rose to three feet above that. Everything from the first floor down was lost. All of the walls were torn down, two stair cases were torn down, a chimney had to be torn down ... it was down to bare stud walls in there. The basement had already been cleaned out, except for the chimney which we removed. We broke it down brick by brick, starting in the attic and ending in the basement. The beams in the basement are already covered in mold, as most of the town waits for pressure washers. It was sad.

Gawkers - don't bother!
While I stood in line for food outside my Grandma Karlson's old church, a car drove by with a hand and camera out the window. How can anyone get even a glimpse of the disaster by driving through? It's not possible. They can see piles of garbage on the road, dirty people wandering about, houses with warning signs on the door, but that doesn't even begin to show what is going on. Here is what volunteering allowed me to observe:

Most are without electricity, and none of the city water is usable. Most homes are uninhabitable, although people are there every day working as long as there is light.

Without water no one can use their bathrooms. So there are outhouses located on each block for residents and volunteers to use.

People can't make food, and all of the restaurants were destroyed, as well as the grocery store. Since so many lost cars, most are unable to make it 30 minutes to Winona for food.

The Red Cross trucks have been going through town delivering meals to homes for two weeks now. We heard the horn, and the people we were helping ran out to get some meals. The Salvation Army had a truck opened up in town where anyone can stop for cases of drinking water or cleaning kits.

For those who want a different meal option, there is Montini Hall, where water is trucked in for volunteers to make and serve food to much of the town. The line was out the door, and we had to wait a while, but it was a time where we could talk with the people. Everyone was tired and hungry, but they were all grateful for the break.

The town is pulling together. As we were working, strangers were pulling up offering water and other supplies. All the debris we were clearing out was dumped on the road where a truck and Bobcat would come by every couple hours to pick it up. Chaplains were roaming around in yellow shirts offering support.

Some people in town walked around like zombies, totally exhausted and searching for hope. One woman I talked to looked like she could have broken down at any moment. She seemed confused and overwhelmed. Yet others wore smiles on their faces, ready to make the best of the circumstances. Some were volunteers, and some residents, but everyone had one thing in common - we were all dirty from head to toe.

These are things that no one can see by driving through town. For those disaster junkies out there, if you want to see it, your best bet is to volunteer.