DES MOINES, Iowa — Just over two weeks after floodwaters devastated Central Texas, one Iowa native on the ground is sharing what his home state can do to help.

Ron Reischl is a Manning native who is the retired Board President of Main Street Manning and is a member of the Manning Betterment Foundation. Four years ago, he moved to Gillespie County, Texas, which borders Kerr County.

His new community is just outside of Fredericksburg, Texas and it reminds him of his hometown of Manning because they both have strong German heritage. Reischl also says the people of both states are very similar.

“Iowans and Texans are very much alike. They’re determined, they’re self-sufficient, and they pull themselves up by the bootstraps,” said Reischl.

Those qualities are helping Texans get through the recovery efforts after the historic flooding that happened during the early morning hours of July 4th.

Reishl lives 20 miles from the devastation. He woke up on Independence Day to learn the massive rainfall had caused catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County.

“At that time, there was no idea of the death count, but there was an idea of just the devastation that had brought and that a number of children’s camps were hit,” he said.

Reischl had a commitment in Iowa that weekend. Years ago, he helped bring Mandela fellows to Manning. These are the business visionaries and nonprofit leaders from West Africa who visit Central Iowa through a program at different colleges. The fellows visit different towns across the state and learn from local leaders and business owners. The fellows were visiting Manning during the following week, and Reishl needed to be there.

“On the way up there, I heard that they were asking for volunteers to go search the road and the riverbanks for survivors and those who have died. I immediately wanted to turn around and come back to Texas and help,” he said.

The decision to follow through with his prior commitment was difficult for Reischl to make. When he returned to Texas, a week had passed since the flood.

“Even after a week’s cleanup, the amount of devastation is hard to believe,” he said.

He immediately helped with the recovery efforts, surveying damage and looking for survivors. Reischl said the food-stricken area was difficult to recognize. He frequently visited three restaurants that sat along the Guadalupe River, but now they were all destroyed.

Just over two weeks after the flood, Reischl said the biggest need is still professional search and rescue teams. These professionals will continue to help search the Guadalupe River and its banks for victims.

“To look at all the piles of debris and know that every one of them has to be searched for missing people, is very disturbing,” he said.

Soon, they will transition into the phase where businesses and homes will need to be cleaned. Reischl said this is how non-professionals can help, by scrubbing homes and removing drywall.

Reischl also recommended donating to The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. This nonprofit provides resources to support organizations across impacted communities, including Boerne, Hunt, Ingram, Kerrville, Center Point, and Comfort. So far, this group helped distribute $5 million to support organizations, according to Reischl.

“[The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country] would be the organization that if anybody’s generous and contributing dollars, I would recommend,” he said. “It is often hard to find one that is not fraudulent. This organization is completely aboveboard.”

Fundraising efforts will continue through the end of the year. Reischl and his wife both attended several so far, and plan to continue.