LCC Disaster Response Staff, LERT Chainsaw Teams and Volunteers Help Wisconsin Homeowners After Storm Damage

Teams Returning This Weekend    

Lutheran Church Charities responded to the invite from Pastor Richard Bidinger of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Cascade, Wisconsin, and the South Wisconsin District – LCMS, to offer chainsaw assistance after an EF-1 tornado leveled hundreds of trees throughout the town on the evening of August 28. Some homeowners lost 50+ trees on their property while others lost only a few. The devastation is widespread and very noticeable in a town of approximately 700 people.

Lutheran Church Charities responded with boots on the ground doing assessments on Thursday and brought LERT chainsaw teams and heavy equipment to work on homeowner properties over the Labor Day holiday weekend, Friday through Monday.

Rev. Dr. John Wille, South Wisconsin District President, and Pastor Jonah Burakowski, Executive Assistant to the President for Missions and Human Care, South Wisconsin District – LCMS, have extended their gratitude to LCC and our volunteers for assistance given to their district which has suffered widespread devastation.

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‘Overwhelmed:’ Volunteers from Illinois help Cascade residents after tornado hit Sheboygan County
(Sunday, September 2, 2018 – Fox 6 Now / Madeline Anderson)

view broadcast

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Property Now Safe for Jeff
Chainsaw team members from St. John Wheaton worked at Jeff’s home. He was so pleased with their work and the concern they had for him. He walks slowly with crutches or rides a gator in the yard. He had several crabapple trees that were downed and apples strewn throughout his yard. After the team cleared trees and limbs, they raked all the apples up to give him a safe and clear area to get around.

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Helping Overwhelmed Homeowners
This land was featured on the Fox 6 news story before 8 LERT team members began a hard day of working with the homeowners clearing their property. They are so grateful and cannot believe the difference a couple days can make. Although they will have more to do, it no longer seems so daunting and overwhelming.

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Widow Uplifted After Asking for Help
A widow came to the church to ask for help on Monday morning after seeing LCC on Fox 6 news. She has multiple trees down, and although some family had been working to clear the trees, all were tired and overwhelmed. We sent a team right over and helped for a couple hours, which in her words, “was just uplifting and such a welcome surprise of assistance.”

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Help is on the Way
After seeing the Fox 6 news story, this gentleman came into the church on Monday morning to ask for help. He has been clearing trees all weekend with his son, had injured his arm when a branch fell on him, and was just exhausted and overwhelmed. Pastor Bidinger and an LCC staff member went to his home, saw his damage, and listened to his story. We told him we would send a team next week to help him and to get some rest. He was very happy to be heard and to know that help was coming soon.

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LCC Disaster Response is blessed to have dedicated LERT team members who have a servant heart for using their time and talents to share the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. Volunteers who responded to the LERT call to go to Wisconsin came from Northern Illinois, South Wisconsin and St. Louis, Missouri.

Northern Illinois LERT:
Cross Lutheran – Yorkville: Derek Kowalczyk
Trinity – Lisle: Ed Boerman, Mike Kostecki, Dick Sonntag
Immanuel – Belvidere: Bob Schwarzkopf, Bernie & Janet Zimdahl
St. Peter’s – North Plato: Bob Warfel, Danny & Bobbie Swyndrowski
Prince of Peace – Palatine: Jim Beckley
St. John – Wheaton: Marty Johnson, Anna Piro, Jan Gerveske, Roy Rose
Edison Park Lutheran – Chicago: David Gates, Werner Calder
Lord of Life – Elburn: Larry Zagorski, Matthew Luhman, Dave Smercina
Good Shepherd – Elgin: David Vollrath

Wisconsin LERT:
St. Paul’s – Cascade: Dominick Kowalczyk
Trinity – Sheboygan: Tim & Karen Fischer
Menomonee Falls: Todd Sickle

Missouri LERT:
New Beginnings – St. Louis: Chris Adams

LCC LERT teams have been welcomed by the congregation and community. All are very grateful for our willingness to travel to their small town and offer this assistance. We will be returning to help again this weekend as there is still much work to be done. Please continue to pray for everyone who has been affected by the recent storms in Wisconsin and for the safety of the LERT team members who are helping them during the recovery. Your donations will directly assist churches, individuals, and families during the recovery process.

LCC Disaster Relief - Wisconsin