For many of us here in Central Missouri, the only way we can relate to Hurricane Michael victims is through the water we got in our basements through recent heavy rains.
It’s not much of a comparison.
Still, as we recently reported, our community has opened its heart to Florida residents in several ways. Among them:
• Twenty-three Missouri electric cooperatives sent 123 linemen to Florida to work to restore power to those affected by the Category 4 hurricane.
Linemen from Three Rivers Electric in Linn, Co-Mo Electric Cooperative in Tipton and Boone Electric Cooperative in Columbia are part of the crew that left last Wednesday for Florida.
Just short of their goal after driving from a staging area in Athens, Georgia, the cooperative linemen use chainsaws and cut for nearly three hours before the road could be cleared enough to reach Talquin Electric headquarters in Quincy, Florida.
The crews were assigned “bird dogs,” employees of the local cooperative who will be their guides as they work in the storm-damaged area. Nearly all of the cooperative’s 55,000 members were without power after the storm passed through the cooperative’s service area, near Tallahassee.
Talquin suffered severe damage to its distribution and transmission lines, complicating restoration efforts.
• Schnucks Markets Inc. and the American Red Cross of Missouri and Arkansas are inviting Schnucks customers to support those affected by Hurricane Michael through the “Round up at the Register” effort.
Through Oct. 21, Schnucks customers at checkout can round up their purchase to the nearest dollar, with 100 percent of donations going to the American Red Cross’ Hurricane Michael Disaster Relief Fund. The feature is not available at self-checkout lanes. Schnucks also will make a corporate donation when the effort concludes.
• The American Red Cross is assisting more than 7,800 people seeking refuge in Red Cross and community evacuation centers. Approximately 800 Red Cross disaster workers, including ones from our area, have mobilized to help shelter, feed and support those impacted by Michael.
We commend those people in our community who don’t hesitate to give them time and money to faceless victims halfway across the country.
If you would like to volunteer to help with large-scale disaster relief such as Hurricane Michael, visit red-cross.org, or call the local office at 635-1132.
News Tribune