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By: Rebecca Miller
On August 14, 2020, while discussing where they should go and what they would like to do for a vacation, Ted and Sue Blohm of Swanton, began to consider the possibility of taking a “working vacation.”
How about heading out to Iowa to help people affected by the horrible straight line storm that had just gone through there on August 10?
“We did a working vacation to Cairo, Illinois years ago after the Mississippi flooded its banks and broke through the levies. It was a good experience for us and we decided we want to do that again,” Ted explained.
In a phone interview, Sue shared how an illustration really encouraged her. It was the one of a young boy picking up a star fish off the beach and throwing it back in the ocean, then another and another. Someone asked him, “Why bother? It isn’t going to make a difference as the beach is covered with them.” “Well,” said the young boy, “it made a difference to that one!”
Even though individuals may not be able to accomplish great amounts of work amongst the devastation, each thing they do is one more thing that gets done that would have had to be done by the farmers, had they not gone!
The Blohms have decided to ask if others want to go along and are hoping that anyone with a desire to help and a heart for midwest farmers will join them, making a team of workers.
They will be leaving on September 12 and returning on September 19 or 20, and others are welcome to go for any or all of those dates. It is an 8 hour trip from Swanton and they plan to leave on Saturday morning, get set up that evening and spend Sunday, the 13th, making plans for the week with their contact person, Lana Robison.
There is a nearby campground and a state park nearby, so they plan to set up a base at one of those. Everyone going will need to pull a camper or take along a tent, but if they use the private campground there might be some cabins for a few workers to use. Sue said she is hoping for a huge caravan.
Atkins, Iowa is one half hour directly west of Cedar Rapids and was encased in the 770 mile span that was hit by hurricane strength straight winds on August 10th, experiencing three continuous hours of that blast. The devastation is extensive, according to Robison, with every farm experiencing damage or complete destruction.
She has a list of farmers who could use some help with clean up and has been working with State Representative Thomas Gerhold to continue determining where the help is most needed. Gerhold is planning to work with the Blohms and their team, hands on for the labor.
For those who are still unsure what a Derecho, according to the definition on Wikipedia, it is “a widespread, long-lived, straight-line wind storm that is associated with a fast-moving group of severe thunderstorms known as a mesoscale convective system and potentially rivaling hurricanic and tornadic forces.
Derechos move rapidly in the direction of movement of their associated storms, similar to an outflow boundary (gust front), except that the wind remains sustained for a greater period of time (often increasing in strength after onset), and may exceed hurricane-force.” Robison told the Blohms that her camper, which is over an hour away from Atkins, at a seasonal campground, was completely destroyed.
They are not sure of exactly what they will be doing, but are thinking it might include cleaning out grain bins, clearing debris, helping get rid of mold that has begun to grow in the four schools and the fire station that lost their roofs in the storm, and cutting up trees that came down.
They hope that everyone going will bring along whatever tools, including chain saws, as well as cleaning supplies and work gloves, that they have at their disposal. They plan to post a list of needs on their church’s Facebook page, and send it to those planning to go, when they hear more from Robison.
Whatever amount of time that you can go, and however much you can do while there, Robison assured the Blohms that there has been so much devastation and it will help the farmers to know that others outside their community care for them. All will be welcome.
Certain aspects for the team will be determined after they know how many are going, but everyone can plan on bringing cases of water and some foods to share. Sue is hoping to prep some easy meals to take along that will feed a number of people while on the jobs and Ted said that there will be days when everyone might be asked to make some sandwiches to bring along for themselves.
If this is tugging at you and you want more information, or want them to know you are up to be part of the team, you may contact them in one of a few ways. They want it clear that this is open to everyone, with no concern to affiliation.
They can be reached through messaging them at Christ Community Church Facebook page; by emailing them at tsblohm@windstream.net or mailing them at
Christ Community Church
Attn: Ted and Sue Blohm
P.O. Box 97
Ridgeville Corners , Ohio 43555.
There will be large expenses in toll roads and gas for all who are going, so if you can’t go but would love to help the farmers in Iowa who have suffered so much, they are also accepting donations to defray the costs. Checks can be sent to the Christ Community Church address, or be given online at the CCC App.
There will be a link on the church Facebook page as well. “Any amount will help,” Ted said. If you can’t go, help send the ones who can.
Rebecca can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com
