Students of Big Sky High School swarm around dirt pillows, filling bag after bag full of gravel and sand. Large machines carry load after load of ten plus bags, lining them up in rows.

All of this took place yesterday at Fort Missoula, with over one hundred Big Sky student helpers filling up bags of sand and handing out water.

Science teacher Kathleen Kennedy talks about how empowering it is to have students come out and help their community. “ I think it’s amazing, I’m really loving that we’re having this opportunity to help out,” Kennedy said. “Kids are just stepping up and I love it”.

But, all the credit for the sandbag drive can’t all go to students of Big Sky. Team Rubicon is a group of people who travel across the world to help out communities that are at risk. Kris Sell, one of the many members of Rubicon spoke briefly about what it’s like to be apart of this helpful group.

“Well, I’m with team Rubicon, and Team Rubicon is a veteran led first responder disaster group that goes all over the world. Team Rubicon goes to Puerto Rico, and goes to other disasters. We really focus on providing the boots on the ground response. So, we are a little different from the organizations like ‘The Red Cross’, that mostly specialize in things like property and stuff you need.”

Team Rubicon is lending a big hand in the Missoula community by helping build barriers around homes to prevent any flooding and property damage.

The need for volunteer hours is low for the time being, because of the shortage of sand. Hours will be rising once they get in a new shipment of sand.

For those who want to volunteer, Missoula County Public Works have a limited amount of free unfilled sandbags. To volunteer go to Fort Missoula and sign up with Rubicon to volunteer between the hours of 9am – 6pm. All Volunteers must have current health insurance.