THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 21, 2008
Calling All Volunteers
Plan In Works To Form Corps Following Rain, Widespread Flooding Here
Glenview, Glenbrook South High School and the Glenview Park District are working to form a citizen's volunteer corps after about two dozen people stepped forward during heavy storms and flooding this month.
During the storms, a call went out from the village through the park district to GBS for volunteers to help fill sandbags.
About 24 volunteers from GBS' Interact and Key clubs and from the park district braved washed-out roads and heavy rains on Saturday, Sept. 13 to heed the call for help.
The idea was further cemented several days later when Village President Kerry Cummings announced that the village would form a volunteer corps.
Park District Executive Director Chuck Balling said the park district has a part time volunteer coordinator. The park district mobilized to help the village in this flood and during the storms of August 2007.
GBS Principal Brian Wegley said a list is being compiled of students willing to volunteer.
Wegley is meeting with Cummings and Balling this week to further solidify details.
In the event of an emergency, the school district already has a communication system in place to send phone and e-mail notifications. Wegley said that system could be used to contact a predetermined list of students to mobilize at a specific time and place.
Several lists would be made of the "core" first responding students and other secondary responders. Wegley said first, second, and third lists would be activated depending on the size of the crisis.
When the call for more help came from the village during the storm, Balling called Wegley; Wegley then called teacher Mark Gallagher who called the Interact and Key clubs and other students.
About a dozen students responded right away and filled sand bags at the Public Works building on Shermer Road.
Students also later helped senior citizens clean up after the storm.