North Sioux City residents band together to restore community

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. (KCAU) – Out at McCook Lake, homeowners along Northshore and Penrose Drive are still processing the wreckage they’ve seen since Sunday.

“The destruction is pretty unbelievable,” McCook Lake resident Kathy Roberts said. “I never really thought of how far down does that dirt go down under my house, and it’s just gone.”

“I actually was on Northshore Drive the entire night. I never left the street. I saw how all of this happened,” resident Dennis Johnson said. “It wasn’t that it was a major rushing, it wasn’t like the Colorado River coming at you. It was slow moving, maybe three to five mile an hour water going over the street.”

Many are still without power and water, but the biggest frustration is still in the lack of communication during the event and after the devastation.

“It needs some improvement for sure,” Johnson said. “I get it. This is absolutely unprecedented for probably Union County and North Sioux, but I think we will probably, hopefully, make some improvements in there fast.”

Despite the lack of communication, the neighborhood has stepped in to rebuild themselves. For example, Dogwood Pet Hotel has become a donation center to provide clothing for those who need it.

“We have a large quantity of beds, blankets, bedding towels, stuff like that as well as clothing and shoes and stuff for the people that have kind of lost everything,” owner Jalene Kuiken said.

And in the past few days, the Izaak Walton League has become a command center for donations and volunteers.

“As soon as they arrive here they are flying out of here,” Renae Hansen with the Izaak Walton League said. “The people are so appreciative of all the donations. We’ve been the meal place since day one. The Red Cross is feeding them today. Tomorrow it’s a bunch of volunteers, Hy-Vee is coming in, Fareway came out and dropped off a bunch of fresh fruit and vegetables.”

The Izaak Walton League says Tyson Foods is sending four semis of donated food over the next couple of days.

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