Many people on Sundays attend a church service, spend time with their family, or watch every single football on television.  I am one of these people.  But after the storms on Tuesday, my friend Miranda and I really wanted to make a difference.  We spent our Sunday afternoon volunteering in the community through the 211 Helpline Center.

We went to the Helpline Center to receive our assignment and were sent to an apartment complex just off 41st Street.  Not only was this area affected by one of the tornadoes, but it was also devastated by the flooding.  Our main job was to help this woman pack her belongings and send them off to storage.

Being in this apartment was just unbelievable.  There was this smell that filled the air and the roof was destroyed by the storms.  This woman had a great deal of paraphernalia to pack.  The job could have lasted the whole day.  Luckily, her son and friend were also there to help sort everything out.  Miranda and I packed a lot of dishes, cups, silverware, and we made boxes.  We were there for about three hours and then the job was complete.  This woman did admit that she was overwhelmed, but she was very thankful for our help.  Miranda and I were just happy that we could provide some relief for her.

Even though the jobs were small, it made a difference.  There are people in the Sioux Empire that still need our help.  If you have the time, use it to help others and the community.  It will help Sioux Falls heal a lot faster.

You can visit the 211 Helpline Center or call to see how you can help clean up the city.  Sioux Falls is stronger in numbers.  Together we can make a difference and conquer this storm.

More From KXRB