Courtesy Photo | Greg and Sam Stanke hand sandbags to soldiers with the quick reaction force team while...... read more read more
NEAR WEST FARGO, N.D. — When Shannon Stanke saw the North Dakota National Guard trucks roll to a halt in front of her water engulfed horse-and-dog farm Tuesday, she couldn’t believe her eyes.
Only moments earlier, Shannon and her husband, Greg, conceded that overland flooding from the swollen Sheyenne and Maple Rivers would overtake their home if they didn’t seek help. Their cry for volunteers to sandbag their home went out over a local radio station.
And then the Guard arrived: 13 soldiers, five trucks and 600 sandbags.
“This is amazing, making short work of some hard work,” said Shannon, as the soldiers paraded in front of her intent on getting straight to work. “I didn’t expect this; I think we have the best help in United States right now.”
The Stanke farm is about three miles southwest of West Fargo.
Shannon and Greg are the parents of reigning Miss Rodeo North Dakota, Sam Stanke, 22, who was just as surprised as her parents to see the strong showing of Guard soldiers in their front yard.
“I thought, OK, here we go again,” Sam said.
Sam said they’ve had flooding problems at the farm before, but this year, the water showed up faster than usual.
“In 2009, we did some sandbagging but it never got past our driveway,” she said. “It looked fine when I went to bed last night, but it came up fast overnight.”
Sam is taking a year off from Rasmussen College in Fargo this year as she fulfills her duties as Miss Rodeo North Dakota. In December, she will compete for Miss Rodeo America in Las Vegas.
Tuesday, however, was no day to be thinking of competitions or obligations other than saving the family farm.
Sam, her parents and her sisters, Camryn and Grace, threw sandbags with National Guard soldiers from the 815th Engineer Company, from Edgeley and Jamestown.
The first priority was the house. Greg said they’d “play it by ear” after that.
The horse corral in their front yard was again a small lake just like in the past two springs, and the farm’s outbuildings were again surrounded by water.
Their nine horses stood huddled together on an island of higher ground near the barn.
The Stankes also raise golden retrievers and labs. All the dogs were safe and dry.
Sam said, in 2009, they could see catfish jumping in their front yard. There were no fish this year, but the water had crept much closer to the house.
Shannon Stanke showed her appreciation to the Guard troops by throwing rugs down inside her home, opening it up to the soldiers. She also provided refreshments.
“Does anyone need any more lemonade?” Shannon called out to the soldiers from her front steps. She had plenty of takers.
The soldiers used up all of the sandbags that had been provided to the family by the county, as well as much of what they’d brought on their trucks. They arrived a little after 1 p.m. and had the job done a mere two hours later.
Staff Sgt. Shane Skager, Fargo, said that the most of the soldiers who responded to the Stanke farm only recently arrived in the area for flood duty.
“This is great to have an opportunity to do this,” Skager said. “Everyone was really anxious and excited to get out here to help out.”
But not more excited than the Stanke family was to see the Guard at their doorstep in a time of need.
“Wow, I got a lump in my throat when they were driving up,” Shannon said, “Thank you.”
| Date Taken: | 04.12.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 04.13.2011 09:35 |
| Story ID: | 68671 |
| Location: | NEAR WEST FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 182 |
| Downloads: | 4 |
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