After assisting with flood relief efforts in Indiana, I joined my wife, Denise, in helping St. Louis area residents who were flooded out of their homes.
 
Denise and I were with the Red Cross Mass Care team behind the scenes. Each day we helped Chapter staff members organize the transportation of the Chapter’s rental vehicles, pack up those vehicles with bulk materials like bottled water, comfort kits and clean up kits and take those items to the service sites, in Winfield, Missouri and Quincy, Illinois. Comfort kits are filled with products like toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap and washcloths. Clean up kits contain mops, disinfectant sprays, sponges, a bucket and other cleaning supplies. Each clean up kit is disaster-specific and this time we provided our clients with items that will help with water damage.
 
Both of us were asked to take the Chapter’s Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) out a number of times too – we use the ERV to distribute meals, snacks and drinks to clients and volunteers in areas hard-hit by the flood waters. Each time we were asked to drive the ERV to sites, we were sent to the sandbagging areas. There, we helped to feed hundreds of other volunteers desperately trying to keep the floodwaters away from homes.
 
For six weeks, I have been helping residents of flood-affected areas. The flood waters have receded now but the Red Cross is still working hard to provide assistance. We’ll be there until every need is met.