Non Fiction

Floods of 2008

Samantha Viles

My friends,

I am forgoing the usual nonfiction this month.

May and June of 2008 have brought a great deal of destruction for the residents of Iowa. The state was just picking up the pieces, literally, from tornadoes that swept through our northeastern section of the state completely demolishing the city of Parkersburg. Then the rains came.

A few of you that know me, know I reside in Cedar Rapids Iowa. We were getting an unusual amount of rain for the first couple of weeks in June. We all watched as the water approached the bottoms of the bridges in our downtown. By the end of the day, June 13th, Cedar Rapids had 1000+ city blocks under water. It was astounding to see the water rush to cover the streets and bridges that run through our downtown.

The sand bag efforts started in the days prior as they talked about the river cresting at 20 feet. Then it was 24 feet. In the end, we saw our small river reach nearly 32 feet about normal flood stage. The city had to enact it’s 500 year flood plain, basically evacuating everyone that was 10 blocks to either side of the river.

I live just within that zone. Luckily for me I did not have evacuate. The water came within 3 block of the house. I was driving home from work today and noticed the water lines on buildings. The water was almost to the second floor on buildings three blocks away from the river. The water surrounded one of the hospitals on two sides.

You really have to marvel at nature after seeing the water consume so much of the city. Seeing the city covered with water is nothing like seeing it when the waters have receded. The river fell almost as quickly as it rose now heartbreak remains.

I really thought the shock would wear off. Every day you can see something new that you didn’t see before. Businesses lost, churches and homes destroyed, museums empty of their one rich history. Driving home last week, I was nearly moved to tears. I cannot even imagine how those directly affected must feel. There are houses with doors hanging by one hinge, children’s toys on rooftops, years of memories set curbside for disposal. People have lost everything they own, some without a place to go.

And yet, there is something amazing happening here. We are rebounding. The entire country is pitching in to help us in our time of need. There are police men from Minneapolis, church congregations from Texas and North Carolina, relief workers from Arkansas, to name a few. There is no mass chaos or confusion. We are making the best of the situation at hand. Key businesses are re building to get an idle workforce moving again.

Major employers are setting the bar high by donating money, giving paid time off to employees to assist with clean up, and finding shelter for folks. We are a city of approximately 125,000 people. Nearly 1/5 of the city were displaced from their homes. I love my full time job most of the time but at times like this we tend to shine. This tragedy has certainly reconfirmed the respect I feel for my employer. A co worker came to me the other day shortly after she arrived at work. She had walked in with a friend who told her about walking in to the building they day before. One of the ladies stopped a young girl whose shirt was on wrong side out. The young lady told her she guessed that is what she gets for trying to get dressed in her car. The flood has left her homeless. All of the belongings she had left were now contained in her car. The lady she made this comment to happened to be an administrative assistant to management. By the end of the day she had a new apartment to relocate to at least temporarily. Proud doesn’t even begin to describe how I have felt watching the way my company has responded.

I digress, to all of you who have emailed me. I appreciate the concerns and well wishes. I am really very lucky not to have been effected. On a parting note I want to share something with you that my boss sent to me last week. This quote is from Rush Limbaugh who I do not normally pay attention to. Please know this is quote is not about the comparison as you cannot really compare. His words regarding the spirit of Iowa are as true as they come.

Limbaugh: "I want to know. I look at Iowa, I look at Illinois-I want to see the murders. I want to see the looting. I want to see all the stuff that happened in New Orleans. I see devastation in Iowa and Illinois that dwarfs what happened in New Orleans. I see people working together. I see people trying to save their property…I don't see a bunch of people running around waving guns at helicopters, I don't see a bunch of people running and shooting cops. I don't see a bunch of people raping people on the street. I don't see a bunch of people doing everything they can…whining and moaning-where's FEMA, where's BUSH. I see the heartland of America. When I look at Iowa and when I look at Illinois, I see the backbone of America."

Cherish what you have…it may not last forever.

Samantha