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Released 15 April 2011
Urgent need for disaster
assistance in rural areas
North Dakota – As the high water
situation in the Fargo-Moorhead urban area continues to stabilize and move into
the recovery stage, the mission of The Salvation Army disaster relief teams
just grew larger.
As
a result of accelerated snow melt The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been
forced to release water from dams along the regional rivers of eastern North Dakota to prevent
their overflowing and possible washout or collapse. As a consequence, the
upstream rural towns and villages are now confronted with contaminated water
supplies, reduced food supplies and post flood clean-up.
As
a consequence, The Salvation Army disaster relief operation has expanded from a
196 square mile urban area to over 4600 square miles encompassing the
communities of Ashley, Ellendale, Foreman, Lisbon, Valley City and surrounding
rural areas of Southeastern North Dakota.
Volunteers
from the Fargo-Moorhead area amateur radio club have joined crews of The
Salvation Army mobile kitchens to provide communications for the units, some of
which will be travelling over 100 miles to reach the affected areas. The
volunteer crews expect 14 to 15 hour days ahead as they provide help and
support across such a large area.
On
Thursday, April 14 two Salvation Army mobile kitchens carrying drinking water,
sandwiches and energy producing snack items will be dispatched from the Fargo center to Valley
City and a third will be dispatched to
the community of Lisbon.
In addition, a vehicle will be dispatched to drop off clean-up supplies at the
communities of Foreman, Ellendale and Ashley.
Individuals
and communities beyond the area outlined can obtain assistance by contacting
The Salvation Army at 701-356-2252, or contacting The Salvation Army centers in
Grand Forks and Bismarck.
Media
Contact:
Annette
Bauer, PR Director
The Salvation Army Northern DHQ, 2445 Prior Ave, Roseville, MN 55113
651.746.3500 office, 651.238.8210 cell
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About The Salvation Army
The
Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church
established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination
for 130 years in the United
States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive
assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of
social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for
disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill,
clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged
children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to carry out those services in
5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.