Saturday, March 23, 2024

A reminder

 In 1997 we were preparing for the historic 500 year flood. I began writing about it here.

I try not to think about that flood too often, but up here in East Grand Forks when I leave to go anyplace I go by the dikes and the flood walls. 


Recently we saw cans of drinking water donated by Anheuser-Bush.  We wondered how many cans of water were donated.  I googled it and found that Anheuser-Bush is known for donating water when it is needed.

The use by date has long passed. 

Far Guy is still doing okay, he is getting stronger and doing more things everyday.
Far Side


22 comments:

Rita said...

I learned about flooding up here because Dagan was living in Fargo going to Concordia College. Grand Forks was under water that year, right? With flooded buildings on fire, if I recall correctly and that was the year that happened? There was flooding in Fargo, too, but nothing like in Grand Forks! Dagan and his friends at the college were let out of class to make sandbags. What a year!

Maebeme said...

I'm glad to hear that Far Guy is improving, albeit it slowly and not at a rate he would like.
I'm just starting to catch up on blogs, but I'll be back to read about the flood.

Val Ewing said...

Oh that is weird looking but cool history though. I recall that year though I was quite far away from there and lived near Lake Michigan.

Use by...1997. That was quite the year for me!

:)

Jim and Barb's Adventures said...

Does drinking water ever go bad? Find a Guinea pig to try it out on, I would not chance it myself!

I vaguely remember that winter when everything flooded.

Betsy said...

I didn't know that Anheuser-Bush donated water to people in disasters. That's a great thing to do. Especially since "back in the old days" bottled water wasn't as much of a thing. I'm not sure about 1997, was it used as much then?
Glad to hear about Far Guy. It takes so long to get better. We're still praying.
Blessings,
Betsy

Marty said...

I remember the flood very well. We live ten miles west of Grand Forks. The blizzard left us without power, water and telephone for days. Six and a half days without power. Then the flood. We had up to ten people staying with us. Friends relatives and strangers. We were very lucky to have wonderful people and a couple of the women loved to cook!!!! I don't! I would find the groceries, not a lot of local stores open, they would cook. The guys were all able to go to work. One woman and I volunteered with distributing donated items.
It was an awful time for those people. Just glad we could help them. In the fall some of them still come back to help with harvest.

Shirley said...

Hmmm.... is it possible for canned water to go bad? Inquiring minds want to know!

Sandra said...

I have a vague Memorie of the flooding up there. If you lived it it would be more than vague. I learn something new everyday. Good for them to donate water. Very excellent news on FG!

Lynda said...

A flood is a scary thing and so destructive. Thankfully we have never experienced one but have seen pictures and been by rivers and creeks that were almost at flood water stage. Water has tremendous force. People are so resilient to clean up and continue on but oh how very, very tiring.
Praising God for FG persevering on in his forward journey of healing!

Ed said...

I remember that flood and how devastating it was. At the time, I was working in Hutchinson, Minnesota.

Galla Creek said...

So glad Far Guy is improving. Here we’re preparing for eclipse. Thousands of folks will descend on us they say. Phones May not work. May be no gas. Be glad when it’s over. Remember 2000. They said the computers wouldn’t work. Read the other day that the world will end in 2060. I try to not dwell on what I ant change or control…like…
O God, give us the serenity to accept what cannot be changed, the courage to change what can be changed, and the wisdom to know the one from the other

Georgina said...

Gosh Connie, I have read your flood reports before, but what a traumatic experience for you all. You seem to have survived, well done, good for you and your family and neighbours.
My brother lived on a hill in Scotland. A little stream suddenly became a big stream and flowed in his back door and out the front. It took months to dry out. But he felt bad he just stood on the hill and watched as it happened.
Anyway, thank your lucky stars you bought a house near a lake and not on the edge of a cliff x

L. D. said...

Yes, when we had a flood in the Des Moines area, it surprisingly shut down the water plant itself which supplied water for surrounding towns too. The had to build dikes around it to keep it safe from any future flooding. The shut down lasted for over a week. Our local grocery gives out plastic water bottles every time a town is in trouble because of tornadoes and water plant disasters.

The Furry Gnome said...

That's a new bit of history for me. Here in Ontario we have very strict laws now preventing buildings in the floodplain, put in place after Hurricane Hazel hit Toronto in 1954. I'm glad Far guy is getting better.

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

Drinking water in a can never seen that before

thecrazysheeplady said...

I'd be interested in seeing some pictures of the dikes and flood walls.

Jenn Jilks said...

Good news.

diane in northern wis said...

Yay for far guy feeling better. Hope you are too. Well, we are in a Winter/Spring Storm warning for tomorrow. Are you getting any of it? It's our first winter storm of this winter. It's been such a strange one. Keep doing well you two.

Tired Teacher 2 said...

I remember visiting my sister in Fargo one year. Flood waters were right up to the edge of the Interstate. Everyone in town was helping sandbag. It was a scary time. The cans of water are reminders that people and companies pull together during a disaster.

Glad to hear FarGuy is steadily getting stronger.

www.self-sufficientsam.blogspot.com said...

I didn't know that about them donating water. They are no longer an American company...sad.

www.self-sufficientsam.blogspot.com said...

So glad Far guy is improving...I hit enter on my comment too soon!

Wanderingcatstudio said...

That is very cool of the company!