Working with LCMS Florida-Georgia District Disaster Response Coordinators to Help Impacted Individuals and Families in Hardest-Hit Areas with Recovery Efforts Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever to strike the US mainland, battered southwest Florida with high winds, rain, and storm surges as it moved inland. More than 2.5 million homes and businesses were left without power as the storm swept ashore in southwest Florida on Wednesday afternoon, bringing “catastrophic” 150 mph winds and a deadly storm surge of up to 18 feet. Hours later, the storm – estimated to be about 140 miles wide – was downgraded from a high category 4 hurricane to a tropical storm as it moved slowly northeast, causing major flooding. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said it brought “historic” damage to the state. “We’ve never seen a flood event like this,” DeSantis said. Lutheran Church Charities Disaster Response has been carefully monitoring the path of Hurricane Ian since it began. Kathy O'Day and Ed Boerman, Northern Illinois District Disaster Response Coordinators, have been collaborating with the LCMS Disaster Response and District Disaster Response Coordinators Joel Mathews and Jay Wendland from the Florida-Georgia District. Rev. Ross Johnson, Director, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) Disaster Response and Jay Wendland have asked Kathy O’Day and L.E.R.T. team leader Marty Johnson to travel to Florida next week to be part of the assessment team. If you are so moved, please donate to the LCC Disaster Response 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 pray for the safety of those in the path of Hurricane Ian, including all of the LCC Disaster Response volunteers and staff, as we deploy to the hardest-hit areas of Florida to help during the long recovery process. Joyfully serving together in Christ, Lynda Streich
Interim President/CEO Lutheran Church Charities LCC works in coordination with LCMS Disaster Response national and local districts of the LCMS. Lutheran Church Charities Disaster Response is carefully monitoring the path Hurricane Ian is taking as it is making landfall in the Gulf States. Kathy O'Day, and Ed Boerman, Northern Illinois District Disaster Response Coordinators, have been collaborating with the LCMS Disaster Response and District Disaster Response Coordinators Joel Mathews and Jay Wendland from the Florida-Georgia District. When it is safe to enter the disaster-affected areas, the FL-GA DDRCs will assess the damage and then extend the invite to L.E.R.T. volunteers to deploy to offer needed assistance. Lutheran Church Charities L.E.R.T. teams are on standby and ready to respond as needed. The LCC Disaster Response Ministry never charges those we serve. Please donate to the LCC Disaster Response Fund so that, when invited, we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.
They also report that water and wastewater systems in multiple counties are not operational or functioning in a limited capacity only. Unfortunately, there have been 37 confirmed fatalities and at least 25,000 homes and hundreds of businesses damaged or destroyed, 5 schools destroyed and another 6 damaged, and 2 hospitals damaged. The LCC Disaster Response Ministry never charges those we serve. Please donate to the LCC Disaster Response Fund so that, when invited, we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. This past Saturday, St. John, Wheaton, Illinois, Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) chainsaw volunteers removed two storm-damaged trees next to the old church building on the St. John property. Using the boom lift, they also trimmed several trees in the main parking lot next to the church building. Pastor Bruzek expressed his appreciation to the following team members for all of their hard work making the church grounds safe: Immanuel, DeKalb - Pete and Christel Springmire Our Savior, Carol Stream - Jim Long St. John, Wheaton - Palmer Goodwin, Byron Heidorn, Marty Johnson, Dave Mummah, Anna Piro Trinity, Roselle - Kristin Bilar The LCC Disaster Response Ministry never charges those we serve. Please donate to the LCC Disaster Response Fund so that, when invited, we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.
The LCC Disaster Response Ministry never charges those we serve. Please donate to the LCC Disaster Response Fund so that, when invited, we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.
On Thursday, June 16, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, was one of the many towns that experienced tree and home damage due to high winds with storms that went through the state. Rev. Nathan Meador, South Wisconsin District Disaster Response Coordinator requested Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) assistance at Christ Lutheran Church and for a few congregation members that had storm damage. The following LCC L.E.R.T. team members served this past Saturday: St. Paul, Grafton, Wisconsin – Mark and Beverly Brueggemann, Stu Natale Trinity, Lisle, Illinois – Ed Boerman Pastor Chris Gugel from Christ Lutheran Church was very thankful for the L.E.R.T. chainsaw volunteers that cut and moved wood and brush from a large tree that was uprooted on the church grounds to the roadside for pick up. They also enjoyed a nice lunch with Pastor Gugel and his wife, who prepared the meal for them. Afterward, the team helped cut and remove a large limb that was downed in a congregation member’s backyard totaling out his shed. Tim was so appreciative as he did not have the capability to do this work himself due to his disability. He thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with the team that shared the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ with him. The LCC Disaster Response Ministry never charges those we serve. Please donate to the LCC Disaster Response Fund so that, when invited, we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. Lutheran Church Charities held a Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) Chainsaw Training and Service Event Workday at Walcamp in Kingston, Illinois, on April 29-30. On Friday evening, the Basic LCMS Chainsaw class was co-led by LCC/LCMS Chainsaw Certified Instructors Marty Johnson and Pete Springmire. On Saturday, twenty-six basic and advanced chainsaw certified LCC staff and L.E.R.T. team members worked as chainsaw and heavy equipment operators and draggers to clear downed and dead trees, limbs, and brush along the camp roads. Bill Indelli, Walcamp Executive Director expressed his sincere thanks for all of the work completed to prepare for campers. The ten first-time chainsaw operators received individual instruction and guidance from advanced team leaders as they began to safely practice felling and cutting trees and limbs, as well as serving with chainsaw team members. A new chainsaw operator stated, “I never thought I would learn so much about chainsaws and safe operation - and have so much fun with a group of people I had never known before. I definitely want to serve in this way.” These L.E.R.T. team volunteers came from the following Illinois and Wisconsin churches: Illinois Good Shepherd, Frankfort – Joel Powless Immanuel, Belvidere – Karyn Salgado Immanuel, DeKalb – Pete Springmire Immanuel, Dundee – Michael Brocato, Matt Flynn, Terry and Denise Fuelling, Doug and Kelley Hoyt Immanuel, Palatine – Chris Johnson Lord of Life, Elburn – Kevin Krage, Max Metz, Vince Miller, Larry Zagorski Our Savior, Chicago – James Hampe St. Paul, Rockford – Dean and Carol Ulrich St. Peter, Rockford – Ken Kiviranta St. John, Wheaton – Steve Chester, Byron Heidorn, Marty Johnson, Jeff Johnston, Anna Piro Trinity, Lisle – Ed Boerman Zion, Beecher – Jan Schulz Wisconsin St. Paul, Grafton – Mark and Beverly Brueggemann One of the participants sent the following note of thanks after the training: “Thank you all for a great time spent with the group at Walcamp. As always, the presentation on Friday was done so well and Saturday's work was very beneficial for the new people. We enjoy the company of such dedicated people and always come away uplifted.” The LCC Disaster Response Ministry never charges those we serve. Please donate to the LCC Disaster Response Fund so that, when invited, we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. Last week, LCC Disaster Response deployment host church through Pastor David Appold from St. Paul Lutheran Church in Paducah, Kentucky, delivered funds from generous Lutheran Church Charities donors to the pastor of Kentucky Lake Mission Church in Gilbertsville to help him and a congregation members family that were greatly affected by the devastating EF-4 Kentucky tornadoes that hit that area on December 10-11, 2021. Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, and Jamie Miller, LCC staff, had met with each of these families that received several days of chainsaw assistance from LCC L.E.R.T. teams that had deployed this past December and January. Pastor owns a 55-acre ranch property that had the homes of his daughter and son, as well as his own on it. His daughter’s home was severely damaged, and his son’s was totally destroyed. Pastor and his son also lost about 50 head of cattle, barns, miles of pasture fencing, chicken and turkey coups, and hundreds of trees. Pastor’s son is a young man with a family who was in the process of building a home on his parent’s ranch property. He is an excellent woodworker and has his own mill. The tornado destroyed his partially built home, barns, tools, large workshop, and vehicles. He had told us he was still regaining his strength after a long hospitalization and rehab from COVID. His wife broke her ankle while trying to salvage items after the tornado. He was overwhelmed and sometimes emotional about the many losses he, his family, and friends have experienced, but he has a strong faith that God is with him. He was very appreciative of the time we spent there to have fellow brothers and sisters in Christ come to help him with recovery efforts. Pastor Appold states that the son has continued to work with various volunteer groups that have been assisting their family, which is currently replacing the damaged roof on his sister’s home. He has just purchased new tools to replace the ones that had been blown away by the tornado and is still committed to his plan of using trees from the property to rebuild his home on his parent’s property. Immediately following the tornado, and sustaining extensive damage to his own property, this pastor housed an elderly disabled couple from his congregation. The tornado totally destroyed their home and barns, causing them to lose all their belongings, vehicles, farm equipment, and animals. The pastor stated that Mr. & Mrs. R. had recently been able to move into a rental home. Unfortunately, Mr. R. fell and broke his hip last week, which required extensive surgical repair, and will need rehab assistance for some time. When receiving the donations, he could not believe that we would return with financial assistance for his family and that of his congregation members. He is very appreciative and sends his heartfelt thanks, prayers, and blessings for our generosity and continued willingness to bring the mercy and compassion of Christ to his community beginning their long recovery process. The fourth and final LCC Disaster Response team arrived at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Paducah, Kentucky, to work in tornado-affected towns again this week. Over the past four weeks, thirty-eight LCC Lutheran Early Response Teams (L.E.R.T.) volunteers were able to assist thirty families in several hard-hit communities of Kentucky begin their long recovery process by removing trees, damaged limbs, and debris with chainsaws, boom lift, bobcats, and tractors. Each of these communities were in the direct path of the EF-3 & EF-4, 270-mile long tornado, which at times was 1-1/2 miles wide. The teams were able to help many families that will be displaced from their homes for some time and to offer the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those in need. This week’s LCC L.E.R.T. volunteers were able to assist three families to remove trees and dangerous damaged limbs from their multi-acre properties in Mayfield and Gilbertsville, Kentucky.
Each of these homeowners were so thankful that the following LCC Disaster Response team volunteers had come from so far and were willing to help them in their time of need: Illinois Immanuel, Batavia – Bill Pietsch Zion, Ottawa – Dave and Cindy Reif Iowa Trinity, Davenport – Ken Stotmeister Wisconsin Brookfield, Brookfield – Laura Ciletti, Cheryl DeLair 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. |
Categories
All
Archives
May 2024
|