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Officers and volunteers continue to scrub homes and shovel mud in ongoing Red River flood relief cleanup efforts. Recently, a team of 340 swelled the number of volunteers who have participated in The Salvation Army’s Operation “We Care.”
As of May 20, Army disaster relief teams had assisted 318,426 people in the devastated area, including providing 314,881 meals and more than 100,000 volunteer hours–not to mention countless prayers and thousands of hours of counsel.
As weary residents return home to the devastation, their hopes are renewed by the helping hands and generosity of major corporations and their employees.
At Grand Forks, N. Dak., more than 1,500 people gathered to celebrate their survival and mark the beginning of restoration from the flooding. Live music and a cowboy comedian brought much-needed smiles to weary flood survivors and relief workers at a giant barbecue.
Salvation Army volunteers helped staff the phone lines during a fund raising telethon by Minneapolis-St. Paul television stations. Corporate support has been gratifying as Northwest Airlines, Pillsbury and many other sponsors contribute their resources toward relief efforts. Sam’s Club joined Wal-Mart in lending help at Salvation Army distribution centers offering cleaning supplies, paper products, food, personal items and smiles of hope to aid in removing mud and mildew. Wal-Mart drivers with tractor trailers transported much needed supplies.
Other major contributors of material and services include Sun Country Airlines, 3M, United Parcel Service, U.S. West, State Farm, St. Paul Companies, Marquette Bank, Minnesota Job Corps, the St. Paul Fire Department, Signature Flight Support, Western Petroleum, Northwest Airlines and TCF Bank, Bates County Cattlemen Association and Pepsi-Cola.
Major David Dalberg, disaster services director, said, “We are grateful for our generous support of our
