The Winona Daily News reports Flood victims to benefit from ‘Big Give’:
Last August’s flood victims in Minnesota and Wisconsin will soon get a boost from daytime TV’s queen of giving Oprah Winfrey.
La Crescent, Minn.-based news station WXOW-19 recently received $10,000 from ABC and Oprah’s “Big Give” show, a reality series where challengers spend millions on local charities to be crowned “The Biggest Giver,” after WXOW submitted a proposal on how the show could help the region.
In the spirit of giving, U.S. Bank and Dahl Automotive of La Crosse, Wis., matched funds to make $20,000 available to flood victims within the WXOW viewing area, which includes Fillmore, Winona and Houston counties in Minnesota. . . .
. . .As of last Friday, WXOW had 52 submissions. Great Rivers United Way of La Crosse and the United Way of Olmsted County will select the beneficiaries — hopefully five to 10 families, maybe more, McClurg said.
“We’re not going to be give to every family because there’s not that much funds,” McClurg said. “But we want to help out multiple families.”
Flood survivors can visit www.wxow.com/contests/index.php to apply. Local businesses and residents may help out with this project by contacting their local United Way.
Oprah’s “Big Give” eight-week program kicked off March 2. Will Oprah or “Big Give” contestants make an appearance here?
“Well, you never know,” McClurg said.
Oprah may not be able to make her way to Winona, but the paper reports in a separate story that Amy Klobuchar visits area: Flood victims share concerns with senator.
The article helps illustrate why the $20,000 generated by the Big Give won't go very far:
Roger Colbenson doesn’t want politicians to forget what he and hundreds of others have gone through since last August’s flood.
“I am now $220,000 in debt,” said the 66-year-old Rushford resident, landlord and business owner to U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. “So many people can’t borrow anymore money, and they’re close to being foreclosed on … None of this is going to help if you don’t get people back into homes.”
On a sweeping mission to visit all 87 counties in Minnesota, Klobuchar made stops in Goodview, Houston and Rushford on Monday afternoon to discuss flood recovery and rebuilding efforts with local officials, flood relief workers and case managers. Flood victims such as Colbenson made sure to get a word in with the senator.
The feedback and challenges Klobuchar heard varied with each city, but she found one common theme.
“There is a sense of optimism,” Klobuchar said. “The proof is in the numbers — people have chosen to stay.”
Houston and Goodview representatives reported few if any population changes after the flood. Rushford Mayor Les Ladewig said 55 of 58 affected businesses have reopened and 10 percent of Rushford flood victims are temporarily living out of town.
The stacks of paperwork, looming funding deadlines, conflicting aid rules between federal and state agencies and weather-related issues with Federal Emergency Management Agency mobile homes were problems officials in each city shared.
It's great to see the Big Gift's money, and perhaps it will inspire more to give. In the meantime, it's good that elected officials haven't forgotten that people are still picking up the pieces in Southeastern Minnesota.
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