Three North Dakota orchestras report that they have been heavily affected by the extensive flooding in the state that began last week and continued this week with another blizzard on Sunday night. Linda Coates, executive director of the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra, was forced to cancel a daytime youth concert on March 26 and evening family concert on March 27; the orchestra’s website asked musicians to turn in their music and help with sandbagging efforts. Classes were cancelled at the University of North Dakota from Wednesday, March 24 through Tuesday, March 31, so that students could help with sandbagging. Beth Fortier, executive director of the Fargo-Moorhead Area Youth Symphonies, reports that she spent a day sandbagging and another preparing food for flood workers. Muriel J. Lippert, executive director of the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra, reported that she spent Tuesday, March 24, and Wednesday March 25 sandbagging at Bismarck Civic Center to help the city fill 25,000 sandbags an hour. North Dakota television station KFYR-TV reported on March 30 that more snow continued in Bismarck, where 14 inches had fallen and a blizzard warning remained in effect until 7 a.m. on Tuesday, March 31.
Posted March 31, 2009
Students sandbagging at the University of North Dakota, where offices of the Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra are located. Photo by Chuck Kimmerle
