• 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 / Floating tote full of memories returned to owners

Floating tote full of memories returned to owners

September 27, 2010 By Matt Kelley

A rubber tote filled with photos and keepsakes, found floating in floodwaters this summer in Colfax, has finally been returned to its owners. The tote belongs to Dave Witke, who recently moved from Colfax to Florida.

His sister, Brenda, was storing some her brother’s belongings when floodwaters destroyed everything in her home in early August. Shortly afterward, Brenda suffered a massive heart attack. She remains hospitalized. Her sister-in-law, Jodie Borts, lives just north of Colfax. She called to claim the tote when a Des Moines T-V station displayed the photos in a newscast.

“A lot of these pictures are from when Dave was younger – his military pictures and older family photos of his mom who has passed on,” Borts said. “These are things that you can’t get back and it’s just a miracle they weren’t destroyed.” Brenda Witke’s husband and their four-year-old son have been staying with the Borts family since the flood.

They lost nearly everything they owned in the flood and didn’t even realize the blue rubber tote had disappeared. Borts says they’re grateful to the people who found the tote and took it to a Colfax church. “A lot of people, not knowing where these pictures were from – whether they had floated down from Ames or whatever the case may be…a lot of people might have thrown them away thinking they’d never find the owner,” Borts said.

At least 300 homes in Colfax were badly damaged or destroyed in early August when the Skunk River flooded the west side of town.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters, Human Interest

Featured Stories

Iowa State Patrol tactical team leader killed in Grundy Center stand-off

Finalists chosen for the state’s top burger

Paintings by Clinton woman gain a following in Europe

Iowa deadline for individual income taxpayers moved to June 1

Dialing rules changing for two area codes in Iowa

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa State adds Minnesota transfer

Cedar Rapids preparing for big return of sports events

Iowa Games returning with full slate of sports

Iowa’s Garza sweeps national awards

Iowa’s Garza claims three national awards

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC