The recent floods should highlight just how quickly our lives can go from affluent to needing assistance.

I was talking to a lady the other day who recounted the experience of one such situation.

She and her family were planning to attend a wedding to which her daughter’s friend was also going and they met up to ride together. When the friend walked in wearing jeans, she apologized for her outfit, which she knew should probably be dressier. But the girl, a Hollandale resident, had had only a few moments to grab clothes from her home before being evacuated because of the rising water. She hadn’t been too choosy in her haste and she had yet to be allowed back into her home.

The story is an example of how we are all just several inches of rain from needing the help provided by agencies funded by the United Way.

What if that child was yours? What if your home had been taken by flood waters? Or a fire? Many of the families affected by the flood couldn’t get flood insurance because they don’t live in a flood plain. They have already lost so much.

May we remind you that the United Way is collecting money from those of us who do not right now need assistance, but who could be just around the corner from needing help? Would you find a way to collect the change from your pockets at the end of the day, or perhaps give up the price of a pop each day and donate it to the United Way?

This is one instance where every dollar matters and when added to others’ dollars provides assistance to people like those hit by the flood a couple weeks ago, who are going through a bad spell and could use our help.