Cedar the cat still hasn’t been found. But Christie Campbell, a reporter at the Observer-Reporter in Washington, Pa., won’t ever forget her week-long visit to flood ravaged Cedar Rapids.
Maybe you read the story in Saturday’s Gazette. Cedar was so named after being adopted by a group of volunteers from the Thomas Presbyterian Church in Eighty Four, Pa., near the end of their weeklong stay in Cedar Rapids. A couple of years ago the group adopted a puppy while volunteering in Mississippi and name it — you guessed it — Mississippi.
Well, under Christie’s watch last Saturday, Cedar escaped. And she hadn’t come home. So, Christie called me that Friday morning looking for help. Since my next column wouldn’t run until Wednesday and the group was leaving Saturday, Gazette intern Pat Shaver wrote a story for Saturday’s paper.
According to Christie’s blog, the lost cat had not been found. While saddened by that fact, Christie couldn’t help but blog about the great Iowa hospitality (Iowa Chops and Sweet Corn) while staying at Christ Church Presbyterian as well as the strong work ethic and positive attitudes she found here. Even in the face of adversity, we are showing the world what we’re made of.
Here’s what she had to say Saturday:
Why you should come
Two weeks ago they built 25 bunk beds, turning their Sunday school rooms and gym into temporary bunk rooms. They brought in clothing, stocked their refrigerators, and made large maps to show people where the nearest grocery store, McDonald’s, and FEMA showers are.
Everyday someone shows up with food we don’t expect. Bill Briggs came in the other night with a huge container of homemade ice cream. His wife did about 4 loads of laundry for us.
Someone I don’t even know brought in honest to goodness Iowa sweet corn for dinner one night and John Remington meets me in the kitchen at 8 a.m. with a Starbucks.
Ray and Jane Isom drove their motor home here and Ray immediately became the fix-it man for the center. He fixed our outdoor shower including providing warm water for it and installed shelves in the bathrooms. Jane whipped up the best chicken salad and egg salad sandwiches I have ever had.
Lou Durkin came on this mission trip because years ago he was a student at Drake University in Des Moines. He came because he has an affinity for the people of Iowa.
I understand why.
The people here are can-do types. They don’t whine or complain. True, they wish that the Cedar Rapids City Council would make up their minds whether or not homes in the 100 year old flood plain will be demolished, but in the meantime they’ve jumped in and started the hard work of cleaning up.
What they need most are people from other cities, other states, to show up and just help them out a little bit. To share the load. To let them know they aren’t forgotten.
What we did this week was a drop in the bucket compared to the need. But if everyone came and did that little bit, the work would get done. And we’d all be better for it.
You need to be here.
