[EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was revised on Jan. 17, 2005.]
Flooded roads delayed Barb Stedman, assistant professor of English, from taking her dog to its acupuncture appointment this week.
Instead of getting upset, Stedman began thinking about the local flood situation.
"I spent this morning (Thursday) in my own drainage ditch, so I thought there must be some little old lady stuck in her house who needed help, and there was," Stedman said.
She called the American Red Cross to ask how she could help and was told she could help with sandbagging.
She sent an e-mail to all Ball State honors students, and she announced the volunteer opportunity in her classes.
Six students and Stephen Schulman, assistant professor of philosophy, arrived at the Hamilton Township Fire Department Thursday night ready to help Stedman with sandbagging.
A huge mound of wet sand stood before the volunteers as they picked up their shovels and began to work on filling almost 300 plastic bags while the temperature dropped quickly and snow fell steadily.
While they worked, a truck and trailer pulled up, and Claire Davis, 46, stepped out to join the volunteers.
Davis is the son of Selma resident Monica Davis for whom the sandbags were being filled. Monica Davis had experienced flooding the previous April when the water in her backyard rose, but only her two sons were there to sandbag.
This year, he called for help from the American Red Cross before the water reached the house.
"I was bagging with [Davis], and it was neat to get to know him," fifth-year student Brianne Bergeman said. "It gives a nice name to Ball State, too, and he was so surprised we were all honors students."
After filling the sandbags, the volunteers piled into their vehicles and drove to Selma to deliver the bags.
While students were stacking the sandbags, Monica Davis yelled from the second-story window, offering them hot chocolate. However, the students politely declined and continued stacking the sandbags.
"A big thank you to Ball State students and the Red Cross," Davis said while standing next to the row of sandbags stacked three deep.
After filling the sandbags and driving to Selma to help stack them, the group of volunteers gathered at a local Pizza King to dry off.
How to Help:
American Red Cross, 325 E. Washington, 284-3361
- -working at shelters in the community
- -flood preparation and distribution to shut-ins and work crews
- -rapid response to changing conditions
Emergency Management Agency, 100 W. Washington, 747-4888
- -staffing phones in the Emergency Operations Center (highest need from 4-8 p.m.)
- -assist with Damage Assessment, working alongside trained professionals
- -fill sandbags at the following locations:
- *Heekin Park Fire Department, 747-4813
- *Yorktown Fire Department, 759-5836
- *Hamilton Township Fire Department, 282-4041
Sign up online at http://www.bsu.edu/svs/, click "log in" and enter your BSU student username and password, then select "America Red Cross." Volunteers will serve where the Red Cross indicates the greatest need during that shift.
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