MISSOULA — The aftermath of the storm that hit on July 24 has largely debris scattered just about everywhere and it's been difficult to pick everything up as there's just so much of it.
But some outside groups, like Team Rubicon, are trying to help with that in Missoula.
Team Rubicon is a volunteer organization that is mainly made up of veterans. Their national organization consists of over 300,000 members and they travel all over the world helping clean up the aftermath of natural disasters. Editors Note: Correction - Team Rubicon currently has 180,000 volunteers across the country.
The City of Missoula is also working with them in their clean-up effort, with Team Rubicon originally helping clear roads and sidewalks immediately after the storm.
“A lot of people in town walk, bike and that's their main mode of transportation. So sidewalks were something that they asked us to really concentrate on after they, after we cleared the main roadways” said Team Rubicon Incident Commander Sarah Puerner.
One key objective for Team Rubicon is to help clear the debris from Rose Park, specifically from the veteran's memorials; and clearing the memorials strikes a certain chord within the volunteers.
“It means a lot to them, my husband is one of the members of this team and he’s a veteran, a Gulf War veteran. We have a Vietnam veteran on this team and another Gulf War era veteran and it, it does, it means a lot. 70% of our organization is veterans” Puerner explained.
While the volunteers take special pride in clearing the veteran’s memorials, they have a deep drive to help out regardless of what is being cleaned up.
“Honestly, there’s nothing better to be the person that shows up when, when a person’s having their worst day. And you’re here to say, I can help. There’s, there’s nothing better” said Puerner.
“I’m retired, I have the time. I’m still in pretty good health and I just wanna give back. I’ve served pretty much most of my life and wanna keep doing that” Gary Kunz, a gray shirt for Team Rubicon, told MTN.
Although people across the city have been coming together to help one another out, a little extra outside help doesn’t really hurt in this situation.
People can contact Team Rubicon for debris removal help at 406-201-1173.
