TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - Once again, America has seen what a lot of rain can mean to a lot of people.
To deal with disaster takes a lot of people as well. People from all over America, including Toledo.
The latest group of Toledo Red Cross volunteers is gearing up to head to Houston with an orientation on sheltering and feeding the thousands in need.
"That's where we need the help right now, so they are learning about that process and if they are still interested, we can get them through the process and send them down there to help," said Rachel Hepner Zawodny, executive director of the Toledo Red Cross.
After this orientation and initial training, the volunteers head to ground zero, where the experience becomes hands-on and heads-up.
"My husband and I volunteered for this. It touches us to see all of the people, all wet and in nursing homes, needing medical care, needing something to eat," said Susan Heasley, a Hurricane Harvey volunteer.
Red Cross volunteer Mary Rose Coleman from Monclova was stranded in the floods of Rosenburg, Texas last week.
Coleman said she and other volunteers had first been dispatched to Corpus Christi from Houston. On their way, the flooding became so bad that they couldn't get to Corpus Christi or get back to Houston.
They ended up trapped in Rosenburg, where a shelter was also needed.
"The six of us and two of the volunteers from the local area opened up a shelter, we encountered 800 people," Coleman said.
People of all ages, from one month to 92 years old.
Animals, not just people, were able to call this shelter their temporary home, too.
"Dogs and cats and lizards and hamsters and what have you," said Coleman.
At first, they had no provisions and only 200 cots.
They had to get restaurants to help them with some supplies and even made a TV plea for help, which they were eventually able to get.
Coleman said the experience was challenging, and volunteers learned quickly that they had to be flexible and able to work longs hours without a break, day and night.
"One time I looked at somebody and said, 'What day is it?'", Coleman said.
Coleman is a retired surgical technician, and even though she worked in a high-stress environment, she said this was higher.
However, Coleman said she is happy to volunteer and enjoys helping those who need her help.
"I was watching Channel 11 and saw that the Red Cross needed volunteers, so I signed up to help," said Coleman about her decision to join the Red Cross a year ago during another disaster.
She said the shelter they set up in Rosenburg is closed, but there is still a need for more shelters in the Houston area.
Volunteers will also be needed for a long time to come.
The Toledo Red Cross is still accepting applications from volunteers who want to help and go to the disaster areas of flooded Texas and any other places where their disaster services may be needed in the future.
