LCC K-9 Ministry Teams and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Arrive in Surfside, Florida, on July 66/29/2021
Serving First Responders and Families after Collapse of Condominium Tower  12 People Confirmed Dead, 149+ People Still Unaccounted For LCC sending 12 plus 149 Hearts of Mercy & Compassion and Markers to Miami – Pray we only need 12! "May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant." Psalm 119:76 After the horrific partial collapse of the 12-story wing of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs were invited in by Rev. Dr. Gregory Walton, LCMS District President for the Florida-Georgia District, and Rev. Dennis Bartels, Pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in North Miami. Pastor Bartels has served this community for 35 years and is well connected to the community where we will be serving. Tim Hetzner, LCC President/CEO, and Bonnie Fear, LCC K-9 Crisis Response Coordinator, are working closely with Pastor Bartels to determine where the K-9 Ministry teams will visit. LCC Hearts of Mercy & Compassion sent hearts and markers for the memorial site in Surfside, Florida. One will be placed for everyone who has not survived this horrific tragedy. Visitors to the memorial site can sign and leave condolence messages. The K-9 Ministry teams will be present to share love and compassion to help everyone who stops by process the grief they are experiencing. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Hope (Faith – Marietta, Georgia), Jewel (Christ Our Savior – Loudon, Tennessee), Lizzie (Trinity – Savannah, Georgia), Mary (St. Paul – Janesville, Wisconsin), Peace (Trinity – Orlando, Florida), Seth (Eternal Shepherd – Seneca, South Carolina) and Zoara (Island Lutheran – Hilton Head, South Carolina), along with their ministry teams, will bring comfort and hope to all who are grieving.  The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs will serve first responders and their families who are working around the clock doing search and rescue for the 149+ people who are still unaccounted for, as well as family members who have lost loved ones. First responders include emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, firefighters, police officers, city, state, and federal personnel. They are all working tirelessly with the destruction of the Champlain Towers. In addition, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs will serve all in that area who are working selflessly.  Our LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Teams will be driving to and staying in Miami. Travel and accommodations in the area will be expensive. LCC's K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry never charge those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.
Please prayerfully consider a donation to the LCC K-9 Travel and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses Funds as we prepare to deploy to serve the first responders and this devastated community. 85 Homeowner Assessments Completed 62 Total Properties Scheduled – 23 Completed
On Sunday, June 20, a confirmed EF-3 tornado and catastrophic storms raged through Northern Illinois, causing extensive damage in Woodridge, Naperville, and Darien, as well as Burr Ridge and Downers Grove. Straight-line winds of at least 70mph tore through other communities. At least 250 homes were damaged, 26 are reported as uninhabitable. Tim Hetzner, LCC President/CEO, Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, and LCC Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T) chainsaw team leaders visited affected first responders and homeowners to assess the damage to their property. LCC L.E.R.T. volunteers began property clean-up starting on Tuesday, June 22. Pastor Mark Schultz from Trinity Lutheran Church in Lisle invited LCC to serve out of their church. We are also working with Bethany Lutheran Church in Naperville. 
As of today, we have met with 85 homeowners and assessed their property. We have identified 62 total sites that we can assist with. Due to tree damage in proximity to power lines and inaccessible yards for equipment, we are unable to assist some homeowners. We have been working daily, in spite of the rain, since the day after the tornado struck. Lutheran Church Charities L.E.R.T. teams have completed 23 chainsaw sites and helped two families move from their damaged homes. We will continue to serve in our district until we are done with requests. HELP LCC SERVE FIRST RESPONDERS AND FAMILIES WITH CLEAN-UP AND RECOVERY! Helping First Responders Who Selflessly Help Others
Serving & Supporting Family During Difficult Situations LCC Disaster Response, along with a few neighbors, was able to help a family over two days to remove many downed trees in their yard. This family has had to move out of their home and into a hotel after many trees came down on their car and house, causing much roof and interior damage to their home. In addition to this devastation, they are caring for and facing the possible loss of their young adult child to cancer. Every team member wanted to serve here and offer Christ’s love and hope to this family during this very difficult time in their lives. We presented the father with a signed slice from one of their trees.
Helping Air Force Reserve Veteran With Large Downed Trees LCC L.E.R.T. helped a 35 year Air Force Reserve veteran remove several large downed trees in preparation for lift work to begin late this week on three tall cracked and leaning trees over her garage. She also assisted our team as they worked and appreciated our “respect of property and our hard work ethic.” LCC thanks her for her many years of dedicated military service.
Removing Many Large Trees Damaged During Tornado Many of the trees that have been downed or damaged by the tornado in these established communities are very large in diameter and require large heavy saws and equipment to complete the work on them. Every homeowner has been very grateful for our professional assistance with these massive trees in their yards, especially the elderly who cannot do the clean-up work themselves.
The LCC Disaster Response Ministry never charges those we serve. Please donate to the LCC Disaster Response General Fund or LCC Equipment Maintenance & Fuel Expense Fund so that we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.
Please keep the families affected by the tornado and storms in your prayers, including all of the LCC Disaster Response volunteers and staff as we deploy to the hardest-hit areas of Northern Illinois to help during the long recovery process. Your prayers, support, and involvement help Make A Difference – in the name of Jesus to those in need.  On Tuesday, June 22, Police Officer Gordon Beesley, a 19-year veteran of the Arvada Police Department, Colorado, was killed during an eruption of gunfire in Olde Town Arvada. Office Beesley was spending his summer working patrols. He also worked as a school resource officer at Oberon Middle School and had previously been at Lincoln Academy and Excel Academy Charter School. The shooting also left John Hurley, acting as a good Samaritan, dead. Bonnie Fear, LCC K-9 Crisis Response Coordinator, with LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Cubby and Devorah (Redeemer – Fort Collins, Colorado), and their handlers responded immediately to bring comfort to the first responders and the community during the Tuesday night vigil at Peace Lutheran Church in Arvada.
On Wednesday, June 23, Cubby and Devorah Comfort Dogs and their team were at Olde Town Arvada, where the shooting took place, to spend time with those grieving and in shock. A new friend of Cubby and Devorah lives near where the shooting took place and was in need of some love and comfort.
The teams also visited the Memorial at Arvada City Hall honoring Arvada Police Department Officer Gordon Beesley and John Hurley. The Comfort Dogs and the team spent time visiting with people from the community.
These moving sentiments were chalked at the Memorial by Officer Beasley’s children and students from Oberon Middle School.
Redeemer, Fort Collins also placed two Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses, at the public memorial at the Arvada City Hall for Officer Gordon Beesley and John Hurley the day after the shooting for visitors to sign. On Thursday, June 24, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Cubby and Devorah, and their ministry teams, attended Officer Beesley’s Memorial Service to comfort those in attendance. The Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses, was displayed in remembrance of his dedicated service.  LCC’s K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry never charges those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. Please keep the families, community, and the Arvada Police Department in your prayers.
On Thursday, June 24, Carol Anderson and Lois Anderson (members of Immanuel, Elmhurst) from St. John's Mission Quilters of St. John Lutheran Church in Lombard, Illinois, delivered 25 quilts to be given out to survivors of recent disasters. In addition, a donation of two area rugs was delivered to the Kids Pantry in Mount Prospect, Illinois. On Friday, June 25, Pastor Karim Yaghleji and his wife Anna picked up a donation of a washer and dryer.
LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Bring Love to Lutheran Missionary Women's League Convention Attendees6/29/2021
  The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry was honored to serve at the Lutheran Women Missionary League’s (LWML) 39th Biennial Convention in Lexington, Kentucky, from June 24-26th. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Abraham (Trinity - Hicksville, New York), Amos (Our Savior’s Way – Ashburn, Virginia), Benjamin (LCC Staff), and Myra (St. Andrews - Park Ridge, Illinois) were blessed to meet women and men from all over the country sharing stories of how God is working in their lives, moving in their communities and personal stories of how Lutheran Church Charities has touched their lives through the K-9 and Disaster Response ministries. In addition, the attendees were excited to learn more about LCC’s Hearts of Mercy and Compassion, Crosses for Losses which are deployed as beacons of hope at crisis sites and can be given as a gift of love and encouragement. Your faithful support of the mission and ministry of LCC is felt near and far.
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