Last week, a two-section wheelchair ramp was built for a Prince of Peace, Palatine, Illinois, congregation member so that he can access his home when he comes home from a rehab facility this month after a serious injury and health setbacks.
 
The L.E.R.T. volunteers also brought one of the church's wheelchairs to the congregation member's home, so the wife could practice safely pushing one of the volunteers on the ramps before helping her injured husband for the first time.
 
The project's building material was funded by a Thrivent Action Grant, designed and completed by the following L.E.R.T. volunteers:
 
Immanuel, Palatine – Steve MacKay
Living Waters, Peoria – Bob Price
Prince of Peace, Palatine – Jim Beckley, Richard & Bonnie Habegger
 
This couple is grateful for the prompt response and willingness to build what they saw as another physical and financial obstacle they would need to overcome. They also greatly appreciated the support, mercy, and compassion of Christ shown to them.

Lutheran Church Charities held a Basic LCMS L.E.R.T. chainsaw operation and safety classroom instruction at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton, Illinois, on May 5.

This class was co-led by LCMS Chainsaw Certified Instructors and LCC advanced team leaders, Marty Johnson and Pete Springmire. 

The hands-on chainsaw training and workday was held at Walcamp in Kingston, Illinois on May 6.

On Saturday, forty-seven 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 from the camp. Bill Indelli, Walcamp Executive Director expressed his sincere thanks for all of the work completed to prepare for campers.

The seventeen first-time chainsaw operators received individual instruction and guidance from advanced team leaders as they began to safely practice felling and bucking 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 enjoy fellowship with a group of people I had never known before. I’m looking forward to serving in this way.”

Illinois
Fellowship of Faith, McHenry – Alan Holm
Good Shepherd, Frankfort – Joel Powless
Immanuel, DeKalb – Pete and Christel Springmire
Immanuel, Dundee – Jon Bartelt, Bill Conforti, Carl Fischer, Matt Flynn, Al Navarro
Immanuel, Palatine – Troy Horbach, Kurt Spaletto
Lord of Life, Elburn – Mark Holstein, James Okkema, Eric Poss, Tom Raisanen, Larry Zagorski
Prince of Peace, Palatine – Kurt Spaletto
St. Paul, Rockford – Dean Ulrich
St. Peter, Schaumburg – Missy Dieckman, Bob and Barb Royce, Laurie Trudell
St. John, Wheaton – Susan Brown, Steve Chester, Palmer and Judy Goodwin, Max Hernandez, Marty Johnson, Jeff Johnston, Julianna Madden, Kathryn Madden, Dave Mummah, Anna Piro, Jonathan Schaeffer, Dave and Martha Schlesselmann, Rich Wren
Trinity, Lisle – Ed Boerman, Mike Kokstecki
Trinity Roselle – Kristin Bilar
Zion, Ottawa – Dave Reif
 
Wisconsin
St. Paul, Grafton – Mark and Beverly Brueggemann, Kaye Voss
St. Paul, Janesville - Lark and Terry Sanders

On Saturday, April 22, LCC held a Basic LCMS L.E.R.T. training for new and recertifying team members at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in LaFox, Illinois, led by Deaconess Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response.
 
There were a total of eighteen in attendance from the following teams or churches in Illinois:
 

• Hosanna, St. Charles
• Lord of Life, LaFox
• Prince of Peace, Palatine
• St. John, Wheaton
• St. Peter, Schaumburg
• Trinity, Genoa

 
It is good to see how the disaster response ministry is continuing to grow with volunteers willing to share the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ in service to those suffering and in need.

On Saturday, April 15, the LCMS NID Shine/Immanuel Lutheran School Serve Event was held in East Dundee, Illinois. Immanuel's school asked the local L.E.R.T. team to clear the overgrown bushes, burrs, and trees along the sides of the walking path and playground where kids' balls roll into.

Immanuel Lutheran School extends thanks to the following L.E.R.T. and congregation volunteers:

Last week, L.E.R.T. chainsaw volunteers Steve Brown, Marty Johnson, and Pete and Christel Springmire removed fallen and damaged ice storm-affected trees from two homes in DeKalb. Each homeowner was very appreciative of the assistance in making their property safe again.

Last week, Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, and twenty LCC L.E.R.T. chainsaw volunteers served for a day at Camp Emmaus, a 97-acre Church of the Brethren camp. We were asked to fell many large dangerous leaning and storm-damaged trees near several of their buildings and trails.
 
LCC L.E.R.T. volunteers used rigging for the redirection of trees for safe felling and heavy equipment to move cut and fallen wood.

Aaron Gerdes, President of Camp Emmaus Board of Directors, was very impressed with our professionalism and grateful for our willingness to make their grounds safe for their campers and retreat attendees.
 
He extends his thanks to the following L.E.R.T. volunteers for their hard work:

Immanuel, DeKalb – Pete and Christel Springmire
Immanuel, Dundee – Matt Flynn, Doug Hoyt, Terry and Denise Fuelling
Lord of Life, Elburn – Kevin Krage, Max Metz
Prince of Peace, Palatine – Dan and Bobbie Swyndroski
Shepherd of the Hills, McHenry – Alan Holm, Ron Jones, Vincent Selvaggio
St. John, Wheaton – Marty Johnson, Dave Mummah, Dave Schlesselmann, Rich Wren
St. Paul, Rockford – Dean and Carol Ulrich

On Wednesday, February 22, the Northern Illinois area experienced a freezing rain storm that left a quarter to a half inch of ice on roads, homes, trees, and power lines, causing widespread power outages. It also caused a lot of damaged and downed trees and limbs on roofs, yards, and roads.
 
Kathy O’Day, Director of Disaster Response, and LCC Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) volunteers have continued to respond to multiple requests for chainsaw assistance in several towns, including Palatine, Inverness, Crystal Lake, Huntley, Campton Hills, Elburn, La Fox, Marengo, Belvidere, McHenry, South Elgin, and West Dundee. Currently, we have completed work at thirty-three homeowner sites, with a few more requests for L.E.R.T. volunteers to complete when the ground can dry so equipment will not sink in the yards.
 
Last week, L.E.R.T. volunteers completed work at several different congregation members’ homes using the lift and/or bobcat. Each homeowner was very appreciative of the assistance and care shown to them. This local ice storm was an opportunity to demonstrate how L.E.R.T. volunteers can serve in our own communities.

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.