Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

Flood survivors recall Army

Note: Flood survivors Genice and Jim Prochaska sent this note to Steve Garrington.

In 1972 Genice and I experienced the Rapid City, S.D., flood. The devastation on the Gulf Coast has brought back a torrent of horrible memories. Our thoughts and our hearts are there with the victims who are simply trying to survive.

We had been married for two years when we moved to Rapid City. We had purchased a car and a mobile home. The flood took away the material things representing our new life. It’s upsetting to remember swimming out of debris-filled floodwaters with little else than the clothes we had on. It’s hard to explain living in total loss. You, and the people around you continuously repeat, “Yes, but you’re alive. Things can be replaced.” True, but many times in the following weeks and months those words would sound hollow.

In 1972, of the private relief groups in Rapid City, the most credible of all was The Salva-tion Army. This well organized group arrived without fanfare to provide assistance to the poorest and most needy of all. They came into the disaster area with people trained in relief work, people who brought with them everything needed to support themselves and to provide helping hands to the very poorest and the most needy people of all. They put no pressure on the government’s relief effort. They were professional, well-organized and set about their task without bravado.

Thank you

Thank you for an excellent paper. Since receiving it over the last few months I have to say that it is always worth finding in my mail box. The articles are always worth reading and my friends in the corps also enjoy reading them when I pass them on.
Roy Stephens
Auckland Congress Hall,
New Zealand

Download this page as a PDF