Community steps up flood relief efforts

By The Daily Journal (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published 11:12 a.m., March 25, 2009

Residents throughout the Fergus Falls and surrounding areas have put their lives on hold to help those threatened by floods.

City Hall has been fielding a steady stream of calls from locals looking for ways to help out. Lynne Olson, assistant to the administrator, has been referring people to the Fargo First Link volunteer line.

About a dozen Sentence to Serve participants from Otter Tail County have been assisting with area sandbagging.

“We’ve been out with crews of 10 to 12 starting Sunday,” said Sheriff Brian Schlueter.

Otter Tail County crews initially worked in Breckenridge and were in Wolverton today, Schlueter said. The county contributed workers during the 1997 floods as well. Local crews will be available as long as help is needed, Schlueter said.

Leslie Treinen, an employee of Len Zierke, an American Family Insurance agent out of Pelican Rapids, was given a paid day off to help sandbag. After sending out e-mails to friends throughout the area, she rounded up a crew of six, who spent the day filling sandbags near a Moorhead housing development.

M State - Fergus Falls students boarded a bus Monday and headed to Breckenridge to sandbag, along with Fergus Falls residents. Fergus Falls Secondary students did their part in the Moorhead area Tuesday.

Making the trip to flood threatened areas isn’t the only way locals are helping out. Coast Guard vehicles were parked outside the AmericInn this week. Manager Sara Piekarski said a number of rooms were rented out to folks who were in town helping with flood relief efforts.

The Broen Home could also be hosting some out-of-town guests. With high water threatening the well being of some Fargo-Moorhead residents in nursing homes, there’s a possibility of some senior citizens from the F-M area being housed temporarily in Fergus Falls and other area communities.

“This is something strictly preliminary and only in the discussion stage,” said John Zwiers, administrator of Broen Memorial Home in Fergus Falls, on Tuesday afternoon. “We’ve spoken to administrators at one senior home in Fargo-Moorhead, but it’s not a done deal, by any means.”

What happens next, said Zwiers, all depends on the magnitude of the water level situation in Fargo-Moorhead in the next few days.

A representative of Fargo First Link said they’re advising those interested in helping out to report first to the FargoDome, where further instruction will be given. For more information, call First Link at 701-476-4000.

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