Patching Up Duluth: From Mendota Heights to Superior’s Shores

One week ago floodwaters rushed through the , causing sidewalks and roads to completely collapse and turning the banks of the great Lake Superior into a brown, muddy mess.

Areas in and around Duluth are seeing floodwaters recede, and Duluth Mayor Don Ness has that it is safe to travel north again for recreation and events.

But there is still work to be done.

Despite all of that water, there is a need for clean drinking water for residents in areas where sewer systems have been compromised by the flooding that rushed through a week ago.

Here are a few ways to give back around the Twin Cities.

Give Water ... Yes, Really

Stop in to any Twin Cities Walser Dealership and drop off a case of water. The dealership started collecting water last weekend and is working with the Salvation Army to send cases north to people in St. Louis County, including rural areas. Water must be in the case and shrink-wrapped in packaging in order to ship.

The 17 Frattallone’s Ace Hardware locations around the Twin Cities Metro are collecting water as well, including in several Twin Cities Patches. Again, cases are needed intact.

According to FOX 9 News: The Salvation Army is accepting cases of 16 oz to 20 oz bottled water at its headquarters in Roseville (2445 Prior Ave. N.) weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Donors with large deliveries should call ahead at 651-746-3483.

Give Money

Monetary donations can be made in the following ways:

Text "Blessing" to 80888. A one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill. (Messaging & data rates may apply. Donations are collected for The Salvation Army by mobilecauses.com. Reply STOP to 85944 to stop. Reply HELP to 85944 for help. For terms, see www.igfn.org/t)

Residents can also donate by credit card at thesalarmy.org or by calling 800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769). Be sure to designate your donation "NE MN Flood."

Go Wild

One of the more tragic stories was the loss of animals at the Superior Zoo. The Como Zoo, a regular stop for Twin Cities residents, is working with that zoo to find a way to recover.

Contributions can be made directly to the Lake Superior Zoo, on their GiveMN page.

Volunteer

The United Way is organizing volunteers from around the state to help with cleanup of parks and trail systems around Duluth. Contact your local chapter of the United Way to see if you can help for a day or a weekend up North by calling 2-1-1.

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