Sixth week of cleanup across Northern IL District

LCC Disaster Response continues to wind down an active summer season of assisting recovery across the Northern Illinois District and parts of Northwest Indiana after multiple tornadoes and a derecho in June, July, and August.

During a sixth straight week of deployments, Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) crews completed seven more sites in the NID and added another 155 volunteer hours with 20 volunteers serving in Lansing, IL, and Beecher, IL. “We will be assisting with a few remaining congregation and church requests this week,” said Deac. Kathy O’Day, Director of LCC Disaster Response.

Temperatures soared to 96 degrees — hottest day of the year — as a team of 16 volunteers completed a third day of cleanup at Oak Glen Cemetery in Lansing, along with three large sites requiring a skid steer, two mini-Bobcats, a tractor with a grapple, and the 64-foot lift. Pastor Ryan Reese of Trinity Lutheran (pictured at right) came by the cemetery to thank each volunteer for serving. 

“We continue to give thanks and praise to God for LCC Disaster Response and their volunteers!” the church shared on its Facebook feed. “They have returned several times to continue the storm cleanup. We cannot thank you enough!”

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“I am deeply grateful for our volunteers who have continued to answer the call and serve people affected by these devastating storms — more than 220 tornadoes,” said LCC President/CEO Rev. Chris Singer. “Our volunteers have faithfully brought help, hope, and the presence of Christ into community after community — but the requests for assistance continue, and we still need the support of those who will stand behind this important work.”

Support is still needed as we continue to receive additional requests for help, Rev. Singer emphasized. There are ongoing needs for volunteers, specialized equipment, and financial support.

In Lansing, another LERT crew helped a member of Trinity’s congregation remove several uprooted and damaged trees from around his pool and large yard. 

“He couldn’t believe that we cleaned up his yard in three hours,” O’Day said. “He thought he would be doing it himself for weeks. He thanked each volunteer and expressed how much of a blessing we were to him.”

The same crew also removed an uprooted tree with a six-foot diameter trunk from the property of Freedom Church. The complicated job required the team to put the cut wood over a guard rail and then move the brush and wood to the curb with a second bobcat. 

In Beecher, IL, a lift team worked at the home of a Zion Lutheran congregation member. The homeowner had several dangerous hanging limbs over the front patio and roof, preventing the family from using the front door and deck.

The crew trimmed back limbs so that no one would be injured and cleaned up two large wishbone-looking hanging branches in a backyard tree. “They expressed their sincere gratitude to the team for making their home and property safe again,” said O’Day. “The team was glad to be able to help them and ease their worries.”