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Ongoing coverage of South Carolina's recovery from the flooding of 2015.What had been Lindsay Langdale's Columbia home October 3, 2015 was a flooded ruin the next day.This coverage is made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. In October of 2015, South Carolina received rainfall in unprecedented amounts over just a few days time. By the time the rain began to slacken, the National Weather Service reported that the event had dumped more than two feet of water on the state. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the subsequent flooding was the worst in 75 years.

Fort Jackson VolunTEENS Serve in the Midlands

VolunTEENS is school-year programs connecting students with the Red Cross. Based in the Fort Jackson community, the group promotes the Red Cross mission through service projects, such as supporting the South Carolina Special Olympics, public education initiatives about health or fire safety, and disaster recovery. For example, their November event was to help the Red Cross clean, inspect, and pack away the cots used in the shelters during Hurricane Matthew. After the October floods in 2015, the VolunTEENS came out for multiple days of service in the Midlands. South Carolina Public Radio’s Laura Hunsberger has the story.

From the reporter’s desk…

Credit Fort Jackson
The Wangsness family was recognized as Fort Jackson Family of the Year for 2016.

When I visited the VolunTEENS meeting this December, I got to meet the Fort Jackson Family of the Year, the Wangness family. Recognized for their family’s service to the community, Staff Sergeant Scott Wangsness and Dana Wangsness co-chair the VolunTEENS and lead Girl Scouts on Fort Jackson. Dana is the Fort Jackson Girl Scouts Coordinator and leads her own troop. Scott also co-leads Girl Scouts troops, and their sons and daughter (Trevor, Skyler, and Brieanna) have been involved with Scouting programs from childhood. Brieanna has also served as Vice President of the VolunTEENS.

After the October 2015 floods, the Dana Wangness and her Girl Scouts troop started a clothing and food drive on Fort Jackson. The Wangness house became a hub for food and clothing donations, and they ultimately took six van or truckloads to Mountains to Midlands (the local Girl Scouts main office), which then distributed the items. This is just one example of how the family has jumped into action to serve their community when most needed.

American Red Cross Fort Jackson