If you are looking for ways to help with the flood relief efforts, the following groups are accepting donations and volunteers. The information listed is what the UMD Alumni Relations office is currently aware of. The City of Duluth and United Way of Greater Duluth are encouraging organizations to funnel volunteer efforts to the United Way in order to have a cohesive and organized relief effort.
Ways you can help Duluth recover from the flood
- Red Cross: The city of Duluth is directing donations to the Red Cross at redcrossmn.org or (800) 733-2767. Donors also can text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation or send checks to the Northland Chapter of the American Red Cross at 2524 Maple Grove Road, Duluth, MN 55811.
- United Way of Greater Duluth: You can volunteer your time to assist with flood clean-up and recovery efforts within the city, help with rehabilitation of parks and trails, or assist in surrounding areas that also were also affected by flooding. Follow this link to become a volunteer: www.volunteerduluth.org and click on the “Give Help” icon on the left sidebar to register as a volunteer. This is a centralized volunteer registration database that will match availability with areas that need help.
- Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota: Collecting donations to help with flood recovery efforts in Duluth and other communities. It also has made available its Camp Noah program, which is designed to help children recover emotionally from natural disasters. Go to lssmn.org/disaster or mail contributions to Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota, SDS 12-2054, P.O. Box 86, St. Paul, MN 55486. Put “Duluth disaster response” on the memo line.
- Carlton County: A center to coordinate volunteers and donations is operating at the Cloquet National Guard Armory. The center is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Contact: (218) 384-1112. Wells Fargo Bank is accepting tax-deductible donations at all of its branches nationwide to the Carlton County Flood Relief Fund.
- Duluth Parks and Recreation: Parks and trails in the area will be relying partly on volunteers to clean up after the flooding. To help clean up Duluth city parks and trails, contact Cheryl Skafte at (218) 730-4334 or cskafte@duluthmn.gov. More information on the cleanup will be available on the city’s website soon.
- Superior Hiking Trail: Volunteers will be needed to assess trail conditions and help replace bridges. To volunteer, call (218) 834-2700 or email volunteer@shta.org.
- Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores: To help with trail work on Duluth’s mountain-biking trails, go to www.coggs.com and check the message board for upcoming trail work dates and locations.
- Lake Superior Zoo: You can contribute to cleanup and rebuilding efforts on the fundraising website givemn.org. Go to lszoo.org for more details.
- Twin Ports Bridge Festival: This event twinportsbridgefestival.com has evolved this year into a two-day event on July 7 and 8, 2012. All proceeds on the second day will go to the United Way Long-Term Flood Recovery Fund. There also may be a KUMD “Stuff the Truck” event happening throughout the two-day festival, at which people can make cash or item donations to the Salvation Army, specifically for items most needed by flood victims, such as non-perishable food, cleaning supplies, and personal hygiene products. All items would be collected in a truck and will be transported to the Salvation Army for distribution. Stuff the Truck volunteers can contact KUMD to sign up. Donations needed, on behalf of United Way, are non-perishable food and personal hygiene items to be brought to the KUMD studios (130 Humanities) now through Friday, July 6th. “Stuff The Truck” donations can also be made at the Twin Ports Bridge Festival, at Bayfront Festival Park Saturday and Sunday, July 7th and 8th, from 11am – 7pm. All donations will be distributed to those in need by United Way and the Salvation Army. Volunteers are needed Saturday and Sunday (July 7-8), to help “Stuff The Truck”. Sign up for a two-hour shift at KUMD. To put your name on the list call 726-7181 or stop by KUMD, 130 Humanities.Bridge Festival general volunteers can contact laugh@laughingstockdesign.com to volunteer.
- Glensheen: The house on the Glensheen estate was fortunate to escape flood damage, however about 75 feet of the red brink wall with a marble-top lining the estate on London Road toppled down from the force of the water. UMD is preparing a total damage report from the flood and the wall will be included. A fund has been set up to help with the repair costs of the wall. If interested in donating to this fund, please see the UMD School of Fine Arts development website.
Assistance available to those with directly affected by the flood
UMD STUDENTS who may have been impacted or displaced due to the flooding
- Housing and Residence Life is offering short (a day or two) and longer (through the end of the summer semester) housing to students who have been displaced by flooding. For more information, please contact the Office of Student Life – 218-726-8501.
- Disasters such as these can be emotionally difficult. Counseling services are also available to students who have been impacted. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Health Services – 218-726-7913.
- For other types of assistance, please contact the Office of Student Life – 218-726-8501.
If UMD can be of assistance in any way, please call the Student Life Office at the number listed above, or write to them at vcsl@d.umn.edu.
Free removal of damaged materials
In order to speed clean-up efforts in Duluth, Mayor Don Ness announced Monday, June 25 that free curbside removal of flood-damaged materials will be offered. The Western Lake Superior Sanitary District already had agreed to accept waste from the flood free of charge at its Materials Recovery Center off Rice Lake Road, but now it will provide door-to-door service for flood victims. Ness asked that residents make use of this service only to deal with flood-related waste, not other types of garbage. The mayor urged people to wear dust masks while dealing with water-damaged materials and to protect themselves from direct skin contact with contaminated water.
Red Cross Help Line
Flood victims across Northeastern Minnesota who need assistance from the Northland Chapter of the American Red Cross should call (218) 722-0071.
Cleanup, emergency kits available
The Red Cross is distributing household clean-up kits and emergency kits from its office at 2524 Maple Grove Road in Duluth.
Free flood-recovery buckets available
Buckets filled with supplies to help clean up homes from flooding will be available at Faith United Methodist Church, 1531 Hughitt Ave., Superior (the Church behind Hardees) for pick-up this week. Anyone from the area who has experienced damage from flooding this past week can receive a flood-bucket supply kit. The supplies are provided by Wisconsin and regional United Methodist Churches through the United Methodist Committee on Relief. The five-gallon buckets with resealable lids include scouring pads, sponges, scrub brush, cleaning towels, liquid laundry detergent, household cleaner, dish soap, clothes line. dust masks, disposable waterproof gloves, work gloves, heavy duty trash bags, insect repellent spray, air freshener and clothes pins. Call (715) 394-9608.
Veterans can get flood grants
The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs is offering Disaster Relief Grants for reimbursable expenses to veterans in Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Dakota, Goodhue, Lake, Rice and St. Louis counties. Veterans, their families and surviving spouses may be eligible for reimbursement assistance of up to $750 if they have not received other state or federal assistance. Veterans and their families should contact their respective County Veteran Service Office to apply for a Disaster Relief Grant, or call (888) 546-5838 for assistance finding the location and phone number of their CVSO. All eligible applications and copies of receipts for expenditures must be dated no earlier than June 13, 2012, and the application must be postmarked no later than Sept. 30, 2012.
Carlton County damage disposal
Carlton County residents are urged to get storm-related residential/noncommercial waste out of homes and sorted. There are multiple options for residents to dispose of waste. Sorting garbage is crucial for public health and safety reasons. The county is urging residents to separate household hazardous waste, appliances, electronics, demolition and solid waste (for example: ruined carpets and furniture), food waste, and woody waste. Collection points will require that this material be separated. The Carlton County Transfer Station, the Shamrock Landfill and the Materials Recovery Center of the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District all are accepting storm-related waste for free. At noon today, two additional sites in Cromwell and Barnum also will start accepting storm-related waste. The sites are the Barnum County Shop, 3888 Highway 61, Barnum, open today until 6 p.m. and Wednesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the Cromwell County Shop, 1400 Highway 73, Cromwell, open today until 6 p.m. and Wednesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Carlton County Transfer Station is open regular hours and is accepting waste at its normal rates. The Transfer Station is at 1950 Highway 210, three-quarter miles west of Interstate 35. Their hours of operations are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call (218) 879-9089.
Property tax relief possible for damage
If structures on your property have been damaged or destroyed as a result of the recent flooding disaster, you may be eligible to receive some property tax relief on this year’s property taxes as well as property taxes payable next year. The type of tax relief you could receive will depend on whether your property is homesteaded, whether it is within a declared disaster or emergency area, the amount of damage sustained and a variety of other factors. St. Louis County can take information of damage to your property by using the form at www.stlouiscountymn.gov, call the County Assessor’s office at (218) 726-2304 or by visiting a County Assessor’s office in the Duluth Courthouse, the Virginia Northland Office Center or the Ely Services Center.
Carlton County property assessments
Carlton County needs to inspect and reassess all properties damaged in this week’s flooding, Carlton County Assessor Marci Moreland said. The purpose of the reassessments is for property tax relief and to help determine eligibility for any federal assistance that may come available. Inspections began Monday. To get an accurate accounting of damage, it is best that property owners do not make any repairs before the inspection, unless the repairs are necessary immediately. Property owners who suffered damage due to the floods can call the assessor’s office at (218) 384-9142 or (218) 284-9144. Callers who can’t reach anyone are asked to call (218) 384-9149 and leave their name, address and phone number.
Storm sand debris sites reopen
Because of widespread flood damage, the city of Duluth is reopening the spring Road Sand Collection sites for homeowners to use (no contractors) for disposal of sand and gravel left by the storm. The sites are for sand and gravel only, no large rocks or brush please. The sites are for homeowner disposal, not contractors. The collection sites are marked with black silt fencing and a sign. They are open to all Duluth residents to dump road sand from their yards, sidewalks, curbs and gutters. Sites are at the following locations:
34th Ave. East and Valley Drive
Chester Bowl
Duluth Heights Community Club
Lester Park
Piedmont Community Center
Stowe School
Wheeler Field
Woodland Community Center
Catch basins lead directly to our streams and Lake Superior, not to the wastewater treatment plant. Please do not dump anything into them. Contact the city of Duluth at (218) 730-4130 during business hours or (218) 730-4100 on evenings and weekends to report any illegal discharge or dumping. For additional information regarding this program, please contact Project Coordinator Chris Kleist at (218) 355-0598.
Water test kits
The Douglas County Health and Human Services Department is offering water test kits for Douglas County residents who have private wells that may have been contaminated as a result of last week’s flooding. If you’re experiencing a noticeable change in drinking water quality or your well or well cap have come into contact with flood waters, your well could be contaminated. People should stop using water from the well and use bottled or boiled water for consumption, and test the well. If contamination is found, the well needs to be disinfected. Test kits for wells can be obtained at the Douglas County Health Department, Suite 324 of the Government Center or call (715) 395-1304 for information. Test kits will be available starting today. Municipal water supplies like those in the city of Superior and Manitou Valley area are tested for contamination during the rainfall, and these systems are safe, the Health Department said. For more information about disinfecting a well, visit the DNR’s website.
Register to get help from volunteers
People who need to report damage to personal property or are in need of volunteer or other assistance should continue to call 211 or go to www.unitedwayduluth.org and click on “GET HELP.”
People interested in volunteering to help with flood cleanup and recovery efforts can now register online. To register, go to the city of Duluth website at www.duluthmn.gov and click on the crawling red “DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY” banner at the top of the page or go to the United Way of Greater Duluth website at www.volunteerduluth.org and click on “GIVE HELP” button on the left side of the page. To register, people will answer a survey asking for contact information, availability, experience and skills. The information will go into a centralized volunteer registration database, allowing the city and other coordinating organizations to match volunteers with needed help.
Mail available
Duluth-area residents who are not receiving mail because of closed or impassable roads can pick up their mail at the Duluth Main Post Office or the Mt. Royal Station until regular delivery is restored. Customers should bring a current photo ID. Customers in ZIP Codes 55802, 55805-8, and 55810-12 should go to the Main Post Office at 2800 W. Michigan Ave. Mail will be available for pickup during window hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Customers in ZIP Codes 55803 and 55804 can collect their mail at the Mount Royal Station, 2800 Mt. Royal Shopping Circle, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
Report damage
Minnesota residents with storm damage should report it immediately to their county emergency managers.
Aitkin (218) 927-7436
Carlton (218) 384-9518
Cook (218) 387-3059
Duluth (city) (218) 730-4357
Lake (218) 226-4444
Pine (320) 629-8385
St. Louis (218) 625-3966
Fond du Lac Band of Ojibwe (218) 878-7502
Health tips
The Minnesota Department of Health has created a web page for health-related flood information at www.health.state.mn.us/2012flood.
Help with insurance claims
Insurance experts with the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s consumer response team can help Minnesotans understand their rights, work with insurers to settle claims and help storm victims make informed insurance decisions. The team can be reached at (651) 296-2488 or (800) 657-3602 or consumer.protection@state.mn.us.
YMCA offers showers
The Duluth Area Family YMCA and the Superior YMCA have opened their doors to victims of the flooding that has occurred in the Twin Ports. In response to community need, both YMCA locations are welcoming people who need showers to use the showering facilities for free. If you and/or your family have suffered damage to your home, the Y is here for you. Contact the Duluth Area Family YMCA at (218) 722-4745 or the Superior YMCA at (715) 392-5611 for more information.
Information provided primarily by the Duluth News Tribune – June 26, 2012.
JUN
