Proud of our Indiana communities

Our state’s August 2026 natural disasters are a nightmare none of us will forget. I not only witnessed the flooding here in Central Indiana, but the damage in Northwest Indiana from the tornadoes.

My best friend, Stacey, lives in Portage. She was thrilled to have her daughter Katie and her family visiting from Hawaii (Katie is in the Air Force). I decided to take Wednesday, Aug. 12, off to see them all for lunch.

Unfortunately, on Tuesday, Aug. 11, tornadoes hit the region hard, knocking down trees and causing widespread power outages. I asked if we were still meeting and they told me to come on up. I encountered a nasty storm as I made my way to the restaurant in Crown Point that Wednesday where we were meeting. My guardian angel did wonders and I remained calm as I drove through the downpour, thunder, and lightning for a half hour.

Witnessing the damage was heartbreaking, and seeing the long lines for gas was like something out of a news clip from the 1970s. Many gas stations were closed due to loss of power. I began to pray for everyone up there.

We still enjoyed lunch and each other’s company. I felt sad for the region and continued to pray for everyone on my way home. Little did I know what was going to hit my area of Indiana two days later.

I live three blocks from the flooding in the Southwest Quad neighborhood of Noblesville. The following weekend brought tears to my eyes as I witnessed the flooding there and in other areas. I felt so helpless, with the mayor encouraging us all to stay home. I understood his reasons, but the urge to do something was powerful.

Since that terrible weekend, Hamilton County has certainly opened opportunities to “do something,” and I’m so proud. From SERVE Noblesville’s efforts headquartered at our county fairgrounds, to local nonprofits like Good Samaritan and St. Vincent De Paul, to businesses like Home Depot, we’ve come together and accomplished so much in just a few short weeks. It’s been wonderful to help others in recent weeks.

In Northwest Indiana, local churches, schools, nonprofits, trustees, and businesses offered relief to many along with the United Way. Stacey said many individuals reached out to help one another, and Portage Mayor Austin Bonta (like our Mayor Chris Jensen) did an outstanding job for all.

I’m proud of our Indiana communities. When disasters like this happen, I’m reminded of Mr. Rogers’ wisdom:

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always see people that are helping.’”

Mr. Rogers is right. Our county, and the ones in the region, certainly united and brought together the helpers. May we all continue to work together to strengthen our communities in the weeks and months ahead.

Amy Shankland is an empty-nester, writer, and fundraising professional living in Noblesville with her husband John and two dogs. You can reach her via email at amys@greenavenue.info.