Eighteen LCC Lutheran Early Response Team Volunteers in Venice, Florida, for Third Week of Helping with Recovery Efforts after Hurricane Ian

Assessments Completed: 102
Chainsaw Worksites Completed: 78
Muck Out & Salvaging Belongings Completed: 11

DONATE — LCC DISASTER RESPONSE FUND

DONATE — LCC MAINTENANCE & FUEL EXPENSE FUND

Helping Churches and Homeowners with Physical Recovery and Spiritual Care in Hardest-Hit Areas with Recovery Efforts

Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever to strike the US mainland, battered southwest Florida as it moved inland. Lutheran Church Charities Disaster Response Director Kathy O'Day and Ed Boerman, Northern Illinois District Disaster Response Coordinators, are working with the LCMS Disaster Response and District Disaster Response Coordinator Jay Wendland from the Florida-Georgia District.

As of Sunday, October 23, eighteen LCC Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) volunteers are in Florida with chainsaws, heavy equipment, and servant-hearts to continue the massive recovery effort in our designated communities of Venice, Port Charlotte, and Englewood, as well as North Port, Punta Gorda, and Rotunda West until the end of October.

These communities were in the eye of a slow-moving hurricane, with residents enduring nine hours of sheltering in place while 125+mph winds and multiple tornadoes passed over their homes.
 
Since our arrival, LCC has completed 102 property assessments of tree damage which requires chainsaw and heavy equipment assistance. We are also assessing for debris removal or helping homeowners salvage their belongings from heavily damaged or destroyed homes.

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During their first two weeks in Florida, L.E.R.T. volunteers completed seventy-eight tree-damaged property sites and eleven property sites with muck out, debris removal, or salvaging assistance. The teams worked at four churches, two pastor homes, ten church worker or congregational staff homes, and many congregational members and community residents.
 
Most of all, L.E.R.T. volunteers are present to provide spiritual and emotional care with those they serve.

Helping a Recent Widow with Property Damage

Last week, we shared that one of the homeowners, a very recent widow, told the team working at her home, “You are a group of angels sent by God.” She came to worship at Lakeside Lutheran Church last Sunday, and the first thing she said was, “There’s my angels!”
 
The L.E.R.T. volunteers and Pastor David Dahlke gave a very warm welcome to their new friend and spent a lot of time with her after the service. The Pastor and congregation members look forward to seeing her often.

Removing a Giant Tree from Hard-Hit Property

LCC L.E.R.T. volunteers helped a homeowner cut and remove a giant tree trunk. The team learned it was a Ramose tree they had not seen before.
 
They enjoyed getting to know the family and felt blessed by the time spent with the 94-year-old grandma. She was very thankful and hugged everyone for helping them.
 
The L.E.R.T. volunteers feel blessed to serve over ten families in this hard-hit, low-income community who are trying to recover from heavily damaged property.

BEFORE

AFTER

Helping Homeowner Recovering from Recent Open Heart Surgery

While working on another property, we met a female homeowner in her 40s who was recovering from a recent open-heart surgery. In fact, this was her fourth heart surgery. Her property had quite a yard of downed trees, and she didn’t know how she was going to get it taken care of as she has many medical expenses. She truly appreciated the caring support and was amazed that we would offer to help her at no cost in her time of need.

Working Together to Serve Homeowners in Need

Members from Lakeside Lutheran Church worked side-by-side with L.E.R.T. volunteers from Trinity-Lisle to help several families salvage belongings and make home repairs from damage after the hurricane. Many roofs came off, or flying debris caused holes where heavy rain came in.
 
They helped five families this past week move flood-damaged belongings out of homes, installed new windows, replaced a water heater, made minor repairs, or salvaged belongings.

Residents are overwhelmed with the devastation and need the reassurance and hope found in Jesus Christ. Our teams are being the hands and feet of Jesus – it has been a great week of serving!

LCC never goes where we are not invited.
We NEVER charge those we serve!

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 residents in the impacted communities and all of the LCC Disaster Response volunteers and staff during our deployment to the hardest-hit areas of Florida to help during the long recovery process.

DONATE — LCC DISASTER RESPONSE FUND

DONATE — LCC MAINTENANCE & FUEL EXPENSE FUND