Respected and famous for helping victims in times of emergencies and disasters, the Salvation Army Austin Corps at First Avenue and Fourth Street Northeast, was a victim itself of flooding overnight Wednesday.

Muddy black Cedar River and Dobbins Creek waters rushed over their banks, swept down Oakland Avenue East, filled the depressions beneath two bridges and then backed up along Fourth Street Northeast passed The Hardy Geranium shop and west into the Salvation Army and Vineyard Church, threatening the Mower County Senior Center and Riverside Arena.

This has happened before to the Austin Corps, most recently in September 2004, when the headquarters, community center, chapel and Family Thrift Store were inundated by flood waters, causing thousands of dollars of loss.

The fact so much water was a problem at mid-day was made more ominous by the fact flood waters in the three streams moving through Austin were not expected to crest until Thursday evening.

This time, the Austin Corps was better prepared.

“I’m just so thankful and excited because of all of the volunteers who came in to help,” said Major Marlys Anderson. “We had people from the Albert Lea Salvation Army come to help run the canteen and do sandbagging. Bill Klingerman brought Sentence To Service people here from Freeborn County and Mower County. We’ve had 50 to 75 volunteers who came to help us,” Anderson said.

“We called the radio station early this morning and they put it on the air and announced it and we were blessed,” said Tammy Flicek, volunteer coordinator on Thursday.

Both Flicek and the officer in charge missed the 2004 flood. Anderson arrived in 2005 to take over the Austin Corps duties.

“Somebody commented that we got started a lot quicker this year and started sandbagging when the water wasn’t close to the door,” Anderson said.

“We do have a little bit of water coming in, but we’re not too concerned about that,” she said.

As a precaution, the Austin Corps moved all of its furnishing from the lower level upstairs to the community dining hall.

In addition, they sandbagged behind the chapel and the inside door of the chapel.

“The water on the floor in the basement can be mopped up,” said Anderson.

The Salvation Army offices were moved into a truck Thursday. Unfortunately, the telephone was disconnected, so other victims had to visit the Austin Corps headquarters to request their help.

The mobile canteen was in use, traveling throughout the city and serving meals to victims and volunteers. Meanwhile, the kitchen at the headquarters remained open to serve volunteers and others snacks and meals through the day.

By mid-day Thursday, the Austin Corps served more than 200 meals to the hungry.

“A lot of people are still out of their homes, so we will keep the canteen going throughout the weekend at least,” Anderson said.

So hard did the volunteers work, they exhausted their supply of sand by 2:30 p.m. Thursday, when they finished sandbagging the Salvation Army facilities. The volunteers were dispatched to other sites in Austin, needing sandbagging help.

Noah Stevenson, 20, was one of the volunteers. Stevenson had an incentive to help protect the Salvation Army headquarters: his band, Right To Arm Bears, performs there.

“It’s hot, but even if it was hotter I would be here to help, because it needed to be done,” he said.

Jaci Miller, 17, is helping at the Salvation Army’s day camp this week. She also plays in the church band.

“I think it’s great that everybody can get together and help one another,” Miller said. “The Salvation Army tries to help everybody who they can. They give to the community and it’s nice the community can give back.”