Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Ways To Help Wessington Springs

Kealey Bultena
/
SDPB

Officials are coordinating ways for people to help residents of Wessington Springs after last week’s devastating tornado. People who can help with general debris cleanup can register at a volunteer reception center. It’s at the Wessington Springs Elementary School. Registration starts at 8 a.m.

The American Red Cross is serving three meals each day for residents and people helping pick up after the tornado. Volunteer leader Nancy Young says the organization has served more than 4,000 meals and handed out over 11,200 bottles of water since Wednesday’s storm.

"We find that, when people are out working and improving their homes and taking care of their homes, they don’t leave. They just stay there and work, and we know it’s very important to keep them hydrated and fed, so we will take our vehicles and go to them with the food and the water," Young says.

Young says money people donate to the Red Cross supports this work. Information about the Wessington Springs Relief Fund through the Red Cross is available at this link. Designate your donation for Wessington Springs. You can also call 1-800-Red-Cross.

People who can volunteer their time for cleanup should bring gloves, sun screen and rakes. Authorities want volunteers to wear pants and hard-soled shoes.

Kealey Bultena grew up in South Dakota, where her grandparents took advantage of the state’s agriculture at nap time, tricking her into car rides to “go see cows.” Rarely did she stay awake long enough to see the livestock, but now she writes stories about the animals – and the legislature and education and much more. Kealey worked in television for four years while attending the University of South Dakota. She started interning with South Dakota Public Broadcasting in September 2010 and accepted a position with television in 2011. Now Kealey is the radio news producer stationed in Sioux Falls. As a multi-media journalist, Kealey prides herself on the diversity of the stories she tells and the impact her work has on people across the state. Kealey is always searching for new ideas. Let her know of a great story! Find her on Facebook and twitter (@KealeySDPB).