We were happy to report of the generous donation by Keith Hughes to the Cassidy Park museums. The museums — the Native American museum especially — were hit hard by the flooding last week and will require an estimated $300,000 to get put back together again. His donation of $10,000 still leaves much to be given, but it is a great start and his generosity should inspire us all.

While few may be able to afford a $10,000 gift, we are happy to see many of our friends and neighbors are giving whatever they can to those in need. Many residents — dozens, perhaps more — have donated time, money and items to the Bogalusa YMCA to help families hurt by the flooding.

Cases of water are inexpensive, as are bottles of bleach and cleaning products. For people who were not hurt by the floods, an extra $10 or so spent on basic necessities for our neighbors who suffered loss could mean a great deal. If you haven’t had a chance to drop off anything to the Y just yet, there is still time.

This weekend, when you’re loading your shopping cart up with groceries, buy an extra case of water, some extra noodles or some sponges and beach — it will be appreciated.

We ask also our local businesses and churches to please consider pitching in to help rebuild our community. Corporate donations can be tax deductible if they’re made to a registered 501(c)(3) and there are a few local registered nonprofits that are doing good work in the parish.

That said, we would also like to remind our readers to only donate to trusted nonprofits, as we have already heard reports of scammers taking advantage of local generosity.

We know the museum as well as our citizens will not be made whole quickly or readily, but even if it’s not quick, the road to recovery is achievable if we work together. Let’s all continue to do our part.