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Many opportunities to help flood victims

JANESVILLE — It’s great if you’re eager to help area flooding victims.

But you’ll have to be patient, said Julie Cunningham of the United Way Volunteer Network.

It will take some time to figure out how much damage was done and what victims need to move on with their lives.

But while the water keeps receding, don’t hesitate to call Cunningham and get signed up to help. The United Way will keep a list of volunteers to call when help is needed.

Volunteers probably will help get rid of water-damaged property, wash walls with bleach, pick up debris in parks or remove sandbags, Cunningham said.

If you plan to do cleanup work, get your tetanus shot first, she said.

In the meantime, other local businesses and organizations are organizing benefits and other events.

Volunteer

Sign up to volunteer with the United Way Volunteer Network.

-- Call Julie Cunningham at (608) 757-3058 or (608) 931-8376. The United Way will maintain a list of volunteers to contact when the time is right.

-- John Kinnett, owner of the Anchor Inn in Newville, has been coordinating flood relief efforts in that community. For more information or to volunteer, call (608) 290-0422.

-- South central Wisconsin Red Cross always is looking for volunteers for its disaster relief team, volunteer coordinator Catrina Schoen said. Local disasters such as fires and gas leaks had doubled this year before the flooding, Schoen said.

To learn more, call (608) 754-4997.

Donate money

-- Both United Ways in Rock County have created a recovery fund for long-term assistance to help those devastated by the recent floods.

United Way of North Rock County and the Stateline United Way will work through existing organizations, such as local nonprofit agencies and government, to coordinate delivery of long-term recovery flood assistance.

One hundred percent of donations to the Rock County United Ways Long-term Flood Recovery Fund, except for the credit card service fee charged by the credit card company, will benefit flood victims.

Send checks, made out to United Way Flood Fund, to: United Way of North Rock County, 205 N. Main St., Suite 101, Janesville, WI 53545 or to the Stateline United Way, 400 E. Grand, Suite 101, Beloit, WI 53511. Charge card donations can be made by visiting www.uwnrc.org and clicking on the “Give Now” button.

For more information, call (608) 757-3040 or (608) 365-4451.

-- John Kinnett, owner of the Anchor Inn in Newville, has set up a flood relief fund to help people in the Newville area with flood recovery.

Donations can be made at the Bank of Milton, P.O. Box 217, 323 Parkview Drive, Milton, WI 53563, and at the Bank of Edgerton, 102 N. Main St., Edgerton, WI 53534.

-- To donate money to the Red Cross, go online to www.southcentralwisconsin.redcross.org. Or send a check made out to South Central Wisconsin Red Cross to 211 N. Parker, Janesville, WI 53545. If you want the money to be spent locally, be sure to make the check out to South Central Wisconsin Red Cross, Schoen said. Checks made out to the American Red Cross will go to national projects.

Donate food or household items

ECHO, 65 S High St., Janesville, is accepting donations of food, household items or cash just as it always does, Executive Director Karen Lisser said.

Flood victims qualify for ECHO services such as hotel or rental vouchers, Lisser said. But in the case of a disaster, victims should register with the Red Cross before coming to ECHO.

ECHO accepts everything for the house except clothes, Lisser said. The nonprofit has storage space for food, cleaning products and personal care items.

If you have something big to donate, such as furniture or even a car, call ECHO and they’ll put it on a list so they can get it to someone in need when the time is right.

Call (608) 754-5333 for more information.

Photos wanted

Videogenics and the United Way of Northern Rock County are producing a documentary featuring flood scenes in Jefferson and Rock counties. The producers are looking for pictures or testimonies that can be used in the video.

Money raised from sales of the video will be donated to a United Way flood relief fund. The video will go on sale in southern Wisconsin in mid-July.

Contact the producers at Videogenics at (608) 754-8411 or e-mail them at rockjeffersonflood@yahoo.com.

Hero Contest

Associated Bank and Wildwood Theatres want to give credit to local people who have gone out of their way to help their neighbors during the recent flooding.

Nominate your neighborhood “super hero” at Movies 10, Rock Theatres or Associated Bank on Lexington Drive.

Prizes include dinner at Texas Roadhouse, golfing, bowling, tanning, baseball and hotel packages and other treats.

Fund-raisers

-- Associated Bank and Wildwood Theatres will have collection boxes and coin jars around the city for donations to ECHO.

-- Damon’s Grill, 3111 Wellington Place, Janesville, will donate 10 percent of its food sales from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. today. A silent auction and a live auction will take place to sell items donated by local businesses. Donations include fitness memberships, tanning, makeup, haircuts, manicures, movies, bowling, golf, pizzas, Pampered Chef products, auto detailing, gas cards, hotel stays, motorcycle rentals, furniture, a laptop computer and more.

The live auction will take place at 7 p.m. For more information, call (608) 758-8000.

Staying healthy

The Rock County Health Department urges residents to be careful to avoid sickness from contaminated floodwater.

In a news release, the department encourages people to: avoid drinking untreated surface water; rinse your body if you come in contact with floodwater; wash your hands after handling surface water; rinse and thoroughly cook fish caught from the Rock River.

The department is offering free flooding-related tetanus shots by appointment through the end of this week, Nursing Director Karen Cain said.

In Janesville, call (608) 757-5440. In Beloit, call (608) 364-2010.

FLOOD IMPACTS

The Rock River crested June 21 and is receding slowly.

Here are current river levels, according to the National Weather Service:

-- Newville: 14.10 feet after cresting at 15.12 feet. Flood stage is 10 feet. The most recent data available before the Gazette’s deadline was taken at 1 p.m. Sunday.

-- Indianford: 17.20 feet this morning after cresting at 18.33 feet. Flood stage is 15 feet.

-- Afton: 12.77 feet this morning after cresting at 13.51 feet. Flood stage is 9 feet.

People are urged to stay out of the floodwaters because the water is contaminated.