It’s hard to believe that it’s been exactly one year since the massive flood that continues to affect our city and region even today. It seems like just yesterday we were scrambling at the newspaper office, getting coverage of the event while also trying to beat the clock in hopes we could print the edition before a power outage or worse.

Of course, we are all thankful that nobody lost their lives that day. Material possessions can always be replaced. Even so, that flood touched so many of our citizens. The numbers are truly staggering. There was nearly $11 million of damages in our parish, and more than 2,700 households sustained at least some damage.

Our community has done an admirable job of coming together to bounce back from this natural disaster, but even today it still impacts us. Just this past week, we published a story that the splash pad at Cassidy Park was now open — although the playground is still too damaged and funds are not immediately available to fix it.

We also marked the ceremonial reopening of the Bogalusa Senior Center, which was badly damaged in the flood. Next weekend, the Museums of Cassidy Park will return with their annual cookoff fundraiser. That event was cancelled last year, following the flooding.

The March 11, 2016 flood isn’t an event that’s likely to be forgotten anytime soon. But it shouldn’t be remembered as just a tragedy. It was also a triumph — a triumph of our community coming together in the face of adversity, working to achieve a common goal of bouncing back.

Now that’s a memory to hold onto forever.