Team Effort

Charles City students, teachers pitch in to flood-relief effort on ‘Day Off’

Staff Report

CHARLES CITY — School was out, but there was work to be done.

“I’ve been out here since 11:30 a.m.,” Payton Reams said. “So what’s that been? Three hours?”

Good thing she had some extra time on her hands. In addition to having school canceled for the entire Charles City Community School District as well as for the surrounding school districts due to major flooding throughout the area, Reams also got the night off from playing varsity volleyball with the Class 4A fourth-ranked Comets.

“The match hasn’t been cancelled … it’s just been postponed,” Reams said of Charles City’s away match against Osage, which has rescheduled from Thursday to Oct. 3.

Reams and most of her teammates were on hand in Hy-Vee’s parking lot filling and distributing sand bags in wake of Wednesday evening’s torrential rainfall and the potential cresting of the Cedar River.

Athletes and coaches from other Charles City teams also pitched in as well as other student and coaches from the school, and volunteers from the surrounding community.

As of 6 p.m. there was still an active platoon in the parking lot filling bags.

“I kind of like this guy,” Charles City wrestling coach Kevin Wedeking said of an underclassman he was paired up with filling bags. “And he says he’s going out for wrestling.”

“Now wait a minute … there’s no recruiting here,” someone within the sand-bag filling pit said.

No need to. These were all willing volunteers.