-> INTL 0:2808/1 0:2808/1
-> PID: TriDog v11.0
-> CB> Testing, testing---anyone out there?
-> Hi Carl,
->   Barely here!  Haven't had much opportunity in the last couple of
-> weeks to sit and read mail, much less write any.  On the heels of a
-> winter that brought record snowfall to Fargo ND (116 inches) we're now
-> fighting record flood waters...a few days ago we broke the record set
-> in 1897 of 39.1 feet of water, I think today we're at 39.54 or
-> something like that.
->   Consequently, the entire community has been committed to holding back
-> the Red River--a daunting task to say the least.  We've been
-> sandbagging forever it seems and building dikes to contain the water.
-> Fortunately for us (our family) we're not in the river's path -- but
-> we've been working hard to help those who are.  All of our schools have
-> been letting kids out to help the sand bagging operations and the 3
-> universities in the Fargo-Moorhead area have been rotating days off to
-> allow the college students time to help.
->   It's amazing, I've never seen so much inland water...and we had
-> reports this morning that there are 50 sections (equivalent to 50 sq
-> miles) of water headed our way via overland flooding.  They're working
-> hard to dike in South Fargo, close to 600 homes will be diked into the
-> coming water--all this to help save the rest of the city.  Those folks
-> are furiously trying to raise individual sandbag dikes around their
-> homes in hopes of saving their property.  Volunteers are making 100-200
-> thousand sandbags a night and we never seem to have enough, it's simply
-> amazing.  It's not difficult to put in a 12-15 hour day working to
-> build dikes, lay sandbags, fill sandbags, repair leaks or whatever...
-> it is hard to walk away from it.
->   It is hard to pinpoint the "worst" of it, in early April when it all
-> started we were bailing out our basement when we had to stop that and
-> go shovel out from under a Blizzard, bizzarre.  Of course all the flood
-> fighting efforts were slowed due to the blizzard and the additional 6-8
-> inches of snow on everything (that was after 36 hours of rain and
-> sleet).  This is one disaster that the media seems to be covering
-> fairly accurately, I can't remember the number of cows, pigs and other
-> livestock that were literally frozen in place following the blizzard,
-> now they have to remove them as they thaw and pose a health risk.
->   Our kids missed so much school this past winter with all the
-> blizzards we had (8 official blizzards and 5 or 6 "winter storms") and
-> now they're missing more in order to help out in the community.  A
-> private school in our neighborhood was lost to the flood 2 nights ago,
-> Oak Grove Lutheran school was overcome by a wall of water 5 foot high
-> as one of the dikes gave out, pictures in today's paper show first
-> floor classrooms with water rippling through them just below the
-> windows...the kids there have had 1/2 days or no school for the last
-> few weeks as they've tried to fortify the dikes around the school.
-> There are so many stories along the same lines, people fighting to the
-> end only to be washed out, as you can imagine the stress is incredibly
-> high and people are getting tired.
->   I guess if there is a positive note in all of this, you really have
-> to marvel at the sense of community spirit, the way people have poured
-> out to help fight the flood.  The kids who've been working to fill
-> sandbags and build dikes have been absolutely wonderful, everyone is
-> out helping -- it truly makes you feel good to see such support.  Some
-> area residents were concerned that the kids were missing too much
-> school and shouldn't be allowed to help during the school day, but
-> these students (high school and college) are learning some of the most
-> valuable lessons of their lives, they are learning the importance of
-> community, helping your neighbor (unselfishly), teamwork,
-> communication, coordination -- There are hundreds of students here that
-> will have a unique picture of what "service" really means.
->   Well, I suppose I better get on with reading my mail and then it's
-> off to do some more diking on the south side of town, the additional
-> water they predict is due to hit us within 24 to 48 hours now and when
-> it gets here it won't be pretty.
->   Soggy and sore,
->     Dale
-> --- TriDog v11.0
Hey Dale,
It was good to hear your heads are above water or at least were a few
days ago.  You folks have been in our prayers daily.  Not only are we
getting this from the media, but we have friends whose son is in college
up there and he calls home in between dike building projects.  He says
he hasn't had class in almost three weeks.  
Are you and your family still all right?  Hope the surge two days ago
4/21 didn't reach you.  It is hard to fathom.  This is the worst I've
ever seen anywhere.  What misery for the animals and humans alike.  This
is taking so long, and we pray that everyone's reserve holds out.  We
hear the telephones are still working thanks to many who are sleeping on
the job - literally.  
What will the state do about school?  It will be interesting to watch
how this is all handled and your community slowly rises about all this.
The best to all of you up there.  Noah's Ark must look good by now.
Lori Hathaway
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/Wildcat5! v2.0
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