Thousands of students are missing school to save their town of Fargo, North Dakota from the rising Red River. In many other places throughout the nation filling and placing sandbags to protect homes would be done by emergency volunteers or parents.
However, in Fargo the students can get the day off of school to help with the sandbags with their parents permission. The students view the task of filling one million sandbags as a race against the river and a fun opportunity to be with their friends and help others.
One of the 62-year-old volunteers, David Stark, expressed appreciation for the young who had volunteered. He said, “They pretty much have saved our community.”
Michael Russell, who is 14 years old, said he knew he was helping his friends and neighbors save their homes. He thought the sandbags would probably even save his own home.
The operation of filling these sandbags is taking place in a utility building that normally shelters 25 garbage trucks. Under the new operation and with the new man-power of the students the building can produce 100,000 sandbags per 12 hours.
This is equivalent to 1,000 sandbags per fifty volunteers per hour. The students have been signing up for three or four hour shifts for twelve hours every day.
The younger students who are helping to save the town are only in elementary school. Some children are smaller than the sandbags they are filling. The support from the students has continued into their spring break.
Governor John Hoeven said the sandbagging depended on the student volunteers. He said, “They’re moving those bags like crazy…They are taking pride in helping their community and we are grateful.”
The impact that these students have had on their community is incredible. This is an experience that they students will remember the rest of their lives.
You can make a difference in the life of a friend or a loved one as well. There are many who have faced economic struggles and setbacks.
You can send support and love to them no matter where they are located in the world through a Western Union money transfer. Check City makes the process easy and convenient for your loved ones to receive your help. All you need is a photo ID and the money you would like to send them. Visit Check City’s website to find out more about our quick and easy Western Union money transfers.
To read more about these amazing students visit:
http://www.wpri.com/dpps/news/us_news/midwest/students-pitch-in-to-help-save-town-from-flood-jgr_3278364
