Concordia College

Soccer Team, Others Help in South Moorhead

Dan Weiler will never forget 1997 when the Fargo native helped sandbag against the highest flood in a century. It's why the Cobber soccer coach encouraged his women's and men's teams to volunteer in the fight against the 2009 flood.

"When you get a group together, you can make a big impact quickly," he says.

About 20 soccer players were among dozens of Cobbers who helped build a dike in the backyard of Margaret and Ken Dahl, Moorhead. The stacked sandbags were part of an effort to protect an entire neighborhood against a flooding coulee. 

Cobbers stood ankle-deep in mud, tossing sandbags onto the ever-growing pile while Bob Dylan blared from a car's sound system.

"It's so wonderful to have students here," says Margaret Dahl. "It's going to make a huge difference."

FirstLink, a volunteer clearinghouse, estimated that 2,800 people including students from Minnesota colleges pitched in on Monday, March 23. Colleges and universities in the Moorhead-Fargo region cancelled classes so students could help.

Mads Schmidt Christensen '10, Denmark, says helping seemed like the right thing to do. "It's exciting to see this reservoir of energy tapped," he says. "There's a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. It makes me feel more connected."

Danika Patterson '12, Bozeman, Mont., started volunteering late Sunday night until the early hours of Monday. After a short nap, she was back tossing sandbags by mid-morning.

"There are so many homes that need help," she says. "They can't do it alone."