Lending a hand to Atlanta

The reddish waters of the metro Atlanta flood continued to rescind Wednesday, leaving many Georgians knee-deep in mud and quite uncertain about their future.Over the weekend and lasting into Tuesday, the floods struck neighborhoods from rural Cherokee County to the northern suburb of Buckhead, taking ten lives and causing an estimated $250 million in damages.Around Atlanta, water could still be seen lapping at some rooftops, the result of nearly 20 inches of rain falling in 35 hours in the Georgia mountains. Many residents left homeless have few options. But with regional groups such as the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Courageous Church and Hosea Feed The Hungry & Homeless rallying troops nationwide and securing relief items help is rapidly on the way.A couple local churches including http://www.verticalcommunity.org and http://www.barnesvillefumc.org are receiving donations to deliver to Atlanta.Between 12pm and 2pm today Vertical Community is receiving any and all donations of bottled water product at their space The Loft just above the Red Rooster Coffee Company on Main Street. The entrance is on Market Street however. First United Methodist located at 375 Thomaston St are currently receiving cleaning buckets/flood buckets (http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/getconnected/supplies/)as well as financial donations between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. until Friday at noon.If you know of an organization that is accepting donations to assist flood victims in Atlanta please contact the Herald-Gazette offices either by email or phone: 770.358.6397.