Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Johnstown 2010

In the past I've encouraged folks to contribute to relief efforts for natural disasters in New Orleans & Haiti. Now, we find our hometown another victim. Although the Nashville flood of 2010 is dwarfed in scale by New Orleans, there are thousands who have lost their homes, without flood insurance. Homes - gone with no recompense.

Portions of our neighborhood & many others have been wiped out by apparently total losses. Historic & important cultural sites are damaged. The Grand Ole Opry House, the Opryland Hotel, the gorgeous Schermerhorn Symphony Center - all damaged by flooding. And we shouldn't forget that dozens already have lost their lives & the numbers are expected to rise as waters recede. It's heartbreaking. And what's even more surreal is the fact that not only is this story being masked by other national news, but there are even parts of Nashville that are seemingly unphased.

I've always found myself bored with other flooding disaster news stories with the aerial footage of sandbagging efforts along the Mississippi in remote parts of the country's midbelly, but this time it's in our back yard - literally. I expect that in the future I will empathize a little more & sigh a little less when I read of yet another rising river in some town I've only driven through.

Please consider digging the news stories a little deeper & be aware of relief efforts & funds that may be set up in the coming weeks to help mitigate the massive individual losses that thousands have now accrued. How many of you have flood insurance? Most don't. Now imagine that your house is totally destroyed in the most damaging flood in your town's history. Then realize that there are thousands of our neighbors in that very position sleeping on cots in the high school gym up the road.

Here's a link to our personal videos of our street & downtown Nashville.
Johnstown 2010 [Movies]

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