• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Fires/Accidents/Disasters / Davenport native returns to help with disaster recovery

Davenport native returns to help with disaster recovery

September 15, 2008 By admin

A Davenport native who’s lived on the East Coast for 20 years is back in Iowa this week to help rebuild tornado-ravaged homes. Forty-four-year-old Todd Borden is part of an Episcopal church team from Richmond, Virginia. They’re working in Hazleton, one of several northeast Iowa towns severely damaged in the May twister.

Borden, an Iowa State University graduate, was asked what he’s getting out of the trip. "Not really getting out of it so much as giving," he says. "The Lord has given lots of stuff to me and I care about people and that’s how I pay it back." Borden is a civil engineer, not a home-builder.

"Not professionally, no," Borden says, laughing. "I’ve worked a lot with Habitat For Humanity, the local organization called Rebuilding Richmond that goes in and helps people locally that aren’t able to help themselves." The Virginia team is working to roof and insulate the home of Arnie Dettbarn, the Hazleton fire chief.

Dettbarn and his volunteer firefighter wife were both out on emergency calls when the twister demolished their house, something they didn’t learn about for hours. Borden says he doesn’t get back to Iowa very often, so it’s refreshing to be back in his home state, pitching in on a worthwhile project with other members of his congregation.

"People out here are good people and I enjoy working with them. When you travel around the country, you get a whole lot of different personalities and Midwestern people are cool." Relief officials say there’s a renewed urgency in many Iowa cities to rebuild tornado- or flood-damaged homes before the cold weather sets in. For information on joining a volunteer team, check with your neighborhood church or the nearest Red Cross office. 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Featured Stories

Iowa Supreme Court overturns ruling creating constitutional abortion right

Iowa’s governor launches $100 million school safety plan

Urbandale teacher crowned Miss Iowa

DOT taking input on proposed electric vehicle charging network

Glidden man cleared in poaching case, questions DNR tactics

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Radio Iowa/Baseball Coaches Association High School Poll 6/27/22

AJ Green signs with Milwaukee

Iowa to host Georgia Tech in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Iowa State adds a defensive back

Radio Iowa/Baseball Coaches Association High School Poll 6/20/22

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2022 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC