SPECIAL FUND SET UP BY DIOCESE WILL AID VICTIMS OF RIVER FLOODING

A new source of help is available to local flood victims through the Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.

The fund of $95,731 has been established through a special collection taken up by the 64 parishes and 21 mission churches in the diocese.

The Chicago-based Catholic Extension Society, which helps out smaller dioceses, donated $10,000 of the money. The Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese has 50,000 members.

To apply for grants, flood victims in Dutchtown, Allenville, Whitewater and Cape Girardeau should come to the parish office at the Cathedral of St. Mary, 629 William St., or St. Vincent de Paul Church, 1913 Ritter Drive, in Cape Girardeau; or Immaculate Conception Church, 208 S. Hope St., in Jackson.

Flood victims in Commerce should come to the parish office at St. Augustine Church, Messmer Street in Kelso; St. Denis Parish, Route 61 in Benton; or St. Joseph Parish, 604 Sycamore in Scott City.

Applications will be taken from 10 a.m. to noon on weekdays only through Oct. 4. Grants will be mailed two or three days after the application is made.

Marilyn Vydra, director of communications services for the diocese, said the application consists of a simple one-page form. "It is open to families who have suffered loss of possessions or property due to the flood."

There is no requirement that applicants must be members of the Catholic church, she said.

The fund was established to help fill in any gaps missed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross, Vydra said.

"Now the big need is the cleanup. That's basically what this is going for."

The availability of the money was announced in church bulletins throughout the diocese over the weekend.

"Twenty-one thousand dollars already has been used to help families," Vydra said.

"People really are calling in and needing help."

Taking applications from flood victims also will provide the diocese with valuable information about the current situation, Vydra said.

"We're determining the need in the area by using the application process."