Schools Shelter Residents
From Floodwaters

As Wisconsin continues to get hit with rain, schools throughout the state have been serving as shelters for flood-drenched communities. Schools in the Marshall, North Crawford and Reedsburg districts, among others, have served as relief shelters to flood victims.

When the Maunesha River spilled over its bank in Marshall earlier this week, village leaders were forced to evacuate about 35 homes. With dozens of families displaced, a Red Cross shelter was set up in the gymnasium of Marshall High School.

Eugene Henning, president of the Marshall school board, said times like this show how important schools are to communities.

“Small communities don’t have any other large facilities that can accommodate a large number of people,” Henning said.

A swollen Baraboo River has devastated parts of Reedsburg. Pineview Elementary School was set up as a Red Cross shelter and Ironton-LaValle Elementary is temporarily housing the local telephone co-op as its building is flooded.

"Anything we can do to help people, we’re going to do it,” Reedsburg school board president Steve Balda said.