a long time ago in another life, I filled sandbags in Oquawka, IL literally across the river from Burlington. I was an undergraduate up the road in Monmouth and they put a call out for volunteers.
For three days and nights I shepherded a crew of high school kids filling sandbags. At nights slept in the HS gym and walked the levee with the old timers. When the river started going down there was a four foot catfish trapped on the wrong side and had I only had a camera.
The people in town were great to us, never bought food or beer or smokes the whole time I was there.
It was also famous for an establishment where Thursday night was amateur night, and served as the red light district for Burlington.
Oh to be young again
