National Guard Gets To Work

The US Army National Guard is in town and helping to restore the Keweenaw after the mass devastation caused by last weekend’s storm.

“We’re here as long as needed. We’re in support of them. We have fellow Yoopers. We have soldiers from downstate. We specialize in engineering equipment so we have lots of heavy trucks, dozers, excavators, dump trucks.  We have multiple sites that have been prioritized by the emergency coordinator and we’re looking at knocking those out here,” said Major Lucas Lanczy of the US Army National Guard.

Major Lanczy is a L’Anse native who is currently stationed in Lansing, but made the trip up here with many other soldiers of the National Guard.

“When this opportunity came up, they needed someone who on ground that’s familiar with the town and the people. I’ve worked with a lot of the county officials up here so I jumped at the chance and I’m proud to do it,” Lanczy added.

Lanczy and his team arrived with a convoy of gear, ready to assist the road commission in their efforts to make all Houghton County roads accessible again.

Lanczy said, “This particular site, Old Mill Road is, from what I understand, a fairly new road and obviously the amount of downpour that took out the drainage and took out the pavement, it made a mess. So, right now we’re moving the rubble. We’re taking off the top layer of pavement and we’re going to regrade it so that the drainage doesn’t do anymore damage in the future and then it will be set for paving whenever the county decides to push assets to that.”

The Major says the Guard has received a warm welcome from the Copper Country.  “The public support is fantastic. We have units still coming and arriving.  I’m hearing horns honk, thumbs up, and that really gets the soldiers going, so I appreciate the support,” he said.

As he and his fellow soldiers do their part on the roadways, volunteers continue to assist in other areas as well. A crew of over 25 volunteers were cleaning yards and basements in the Lake Linden and Hubbell areas that are in need of mucking out.

Many folks have come in from other parts of the country with selfless efforts and are being fed by other volunteers.

“St. Ignatius has been serving lunches and some breakfasts. We’ve also been delivering some meals out into the field. We’ve been averaging about 75 meals per day that have gone out to the field. We just got a call now that they need 20 meals for volunteers at an area. So the ladies are now rushing around in the kitchen and getting those meals together. It goes day by day. We never know what is going to happen,” said volunteer Pat Bolduc.

The kitchen of St. Ignatius has been designated as a central feeding and gathering place for all who are donating their time.

Bolduc said, “This has been wonderful for people and they can cool off, have cold drinks, something to eat, talk amongst themselves. It’s just been wonderful. Come in and we serve lunch from 11:30 – 2:00.”

While St. Ignatius mans the kitchen, pretty much every church in the area is participating as well. Evangelical Lutheran is serving as the Volunteer Resource Center that operates as a central hub accepting volunteers and is still in need of more. Those who would like to help are asked to contact them at (906) 233-6621.