Preparations:
It will be brutally hot in the next few days, with NW Missouri expected to see temperatures soaring into the high 90s with high humidity. This is normal during our Summer months. Hopefully, we are ready. The pool is ready, although a lot of weeds must still be cut and/or sprayed; the grass needs a good mowing; and the shop needs a good cleaning, following several small wooden box projects. But we are ready:
On a separate note:
Due to flooding of the Missouri River, the local Red Cross Chapter is helping local communities. I have been undergoing Disaster Response training, and also Shelter Operations training, to be able to pitch in as a volunteer as needed. For example, today I am headed into the local offices to prepare sandwiches, which we will drive to a location North of us to provide lunch to volunteers that are filling sand bags used to try to minimize the effects of the floods. One shelter is already operational, and another is on standby, waiting for clients displaced by the floods; as a result, I am on stand-by in the event volunteers are needed to staff the local shelter at a local high school. I will write more about my involvement with the Red Cross training classes in a future article.
Meanwhile,
Sandy and I have been helping with the busing of our granddaughters to swim team practice, and to swim meets. It has been absolutely wonderful! Tomorrow we will host some members of the swim team and their families for hot dogs, to send off one Assistant Coach and team member on a long, well-deserved trip.
We are ready!
— Al Navas
About Al Navas
Al,
Thanks for volunteering with the Red Cross. The flooding is going to be a summer long ordeal and many of the people displaced will not be able to start rebuilding for months. The more people that volunteer the better it will be for everybody.
Dave
Dave,
A personal sense of duty to the community drove me to help. What highlighted this need was the tornado at Joplin, and a sense of helplessness when I learned that proper training in disaster response was a must before going out to provide help as needed.