First-year banker finds writing niche during disaster in Rock Valley

So, he created a book, using the publishing website Shutterfly.

The book, in essence, has taken flight with orders for dozens coming from all corners of the Sioux County community. Seems residents look at Gallagher's book as a great way to remember what they endured as the Rock River swept into town on June 17, 2014.

The rookie banker, who was summoned to help fight the flood, has now become a rookie author.

"I only thought of the book for me, my way to remember the flood," says Gallagher, 23.

The saga began on June 17 as the Rock River surged at Rock Valley, creating a wall of water that began to inundate portions of the community within which Gallagher had lived for only nine months, not long after starting his work at Peoples Bank in Rock Valley in April 2013, following his graduation from Dordt College.

"I helped sandbag, as would anyone," he says.

An estimated 200-plus homes and business dwellings suffered damage as the waters rose then receded, leaving behind a trail of muck, mud and more, including sewage.

An organization called World Renew, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., sent three volunteers to Rock Valley just days after the flood. The trio began the process of sanitizing basements that were flooded. Gallagher's boss at the bank, Dale Kooima, cut his rookie banker loose, figuring it was helpful to have someone of Gallagher's skill, energy and mobility at the forefront of the clean-up effort.

"I worked with World Renew to sanitize peoples' basements, stopping mold before they could start to rebuild," Gallagher remembers. "I worked for 10 days, until just after July 4."

Gallagher was excited for the work, an effort he and the community deemed vital to the recovery effort. It also allowed him the chance to meet residents of Rock Valley, his new community.

The 10-day project was set to expire just after July 4.

But, that's when a city councilman approached Gallagher's boss at the bank. Kooima was asked if the bank could spare Gallagher for a few more days -- or weeks -- as the sanitizing schedule continued.

"We'd done 44 homes to that point, out of more than 200 that needed the work," Gallagher says.

With the World Renew volunteers set to depart, it left Gallagher in charge of a small band of cleaners. He worked with other volunteers from nearby Boyden, Iowa, in cleaning the basements of 115 homes over the next few weeks.

"We put together a system to take out carpet, tile and then we did spraying," Gallagher says.

It occurred to him in late July that he should document the effort. That's when his wife, Maria Gallagher, directed him to Shutterfly. Michael Gallagher spent a portion of the late summer/early fall downloading photos, communiques and documents the city disseminated to Rock Valley residents during this historic flood.

"I did the book, ordered my one copy and it came in September," Gallagher says. "It was cool."

He then took the book to Peoples Bank and was surprised by the reaction. Thirty coworkers examined "The Rock Valley Flood of 2014" and many said they wanted to purchase a copy, some wanted multiple copies.

Gallagher waited, secured a discounted price and guaranteed an order of several dozen books, an order that helped drop the per-unit cost to $40, a price that folks in Rock Valley saw as reasonable for a book that detailed their saga and comeback.

Keith Sietsbra of the Rock Valley Chamber of Commerce began taking orders and submitted a list of 100 buyers. The books came back in early December. Another order is forthcoming.

Gallagher, who now works for Peoples Bank in nearby Sioux Center, Iowa, has found the whole process to be stunning and humbling. He's the last person, he figures, who would ever write a book.

"I did a 10-page research project at Dordt," he says with a laugh. "That was the most extensive writing I ever did. English was my worst subject on the ACT."

That's funny, because around Rock Valley, he's practically a best-seller.