Stage 1:
After finding this cache turn around and visualize the make shift sandbag area. Volunteers spent most of Tuesday June 14 filling sandbags here as well as several other locations. The water had come out of the banks of the river by nearly ¾ of a mile and rose to the first intersection you see to the west. Groups of three worked hard together, one with a shovel filling sand in a bag, the second holding the bag until it was full and then handing the bag off to a third who tied the bag and threw it on a truck to be sent down to the sandbaging line. Hundreds of volunteers young and old, near and far raced to help build the walls to protect RV.
Stage 2:.
After finding this cache turn to the east and visualize the line of sandbags that formed a wall/berm. The hope was that the berm would hold back the waters and spare the homes in the nearby area. Volunteers worked from Monday around 8:00 P.M. until 4:00 A.M. Tuesday morning to build this particular sandbag wall. Nearly 50 side dump trailers worked non stop bringing sand from neighboring communities to provide for the berm.
Stage 3:
After finding and signing the log at this cache spot, turn toward the west. Tuesday evening the levee broke causing water to make its way south up to the intersection of the street you now stand on. The levee breaking caused wide spread damage to all houses between here and the river. The basements of nearly all the homes in this area were complete losses as well as several families who experienced loss of their main floor as well.
After the flood, thanks to the many volunteers who came from all over and the resilience of the community, we were able to re-build what was destroyed and we did not let the flood sink our spirits.