Iowa State University re-opened today after the campus was forced to close earlier in the week by record flooding. Rich Bundy, vice president for development at the I.S.U. Foundation, says it’s the worst flooding in Ames’ history and the campus has been very hard-hit.
The university is still in clean-up mode with damage assessment underway in dozens of buildings, many of which were still filled with water yesterday. Bundy says they’re working toward being able to start classes, as scheduled, on August 23rd. He says a fundraising effort is being announced to help repair the damage at Iowa State.
Bundy says concerned alumni and friends now have the opportunity to donate, though it’s still not clear how much money might be needed to get the campus back on its feet. He says once damage assessment is complete, they can see what will be covered by insurance, the state and FEMA. Bundy could not offer a preliminary estimate of the damage, but he says the foundation is hearing from people around the world who are already offering financial assistance.
“We’re not proactively soliciting these gifts but we did want to create a mechanism for folks who do want to give to be able to contribute,” Bundy says. During the floods of 1993, Bundy says two funds were set up — one to repair Hilton Coliseum and other athletic facilities, the other to help students who were impacted by the flooding.
Learn more about contributing at the website: “foundation.iastate.edu“.
By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City