SPECIAL APPEAL: LCC K-9 Ministry Teams Will Deploy to Surfside, Florida, to Serve First Responders After Collapse of Condominium Tower

LCC K-9 Ministry Teams Will Deploy to Surfside, Florida, to Serve First Responders
After Collapse of Condominium Tower

Four People Confirmed Dead, 159 People Still Unaccounted For
“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1
"May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant." Psalm 119:76

A 12-story oceanfront condominium tower partially collapsed in the early hours of Thursday, June 24 on Collins Avenue in the town of Surfside, Florida, spurring a massive search-and-rescue effort with dozens of rescue crews from across Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The partial collapse of the 12-story wing of Champlain Towers South resulted in four confirmed deaths and more than 159 persons still unaccounted for. Search and rescue crews continue to carry on the dire but delicate work of picking over and tunneling through tons of crumbled concrete and twisted steel in search of survivors.

The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs have been invited in by Rev. Dr. Gregory Walton, LCMS District President for the Florida-Georgia District and Rev. Dennis Bartels Pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in North Miami. Pastor Bartels has served this community for 35 years and is well connected to the community where we will be serving. Tim Hetzner, LCC President/CEO, and Bonnie Fear, LCC K-9 Crisis Response Coordinator, are working closely with Pastor Bartels to determine the appropriate time to have Boots and Paws on the ground.

The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs will come in to serve first responders and their families that have worked around the clock doing search and rescue for the 159 people who are unaccounted for (at the time of this writing). First responders include: emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, firefighters, police officers, city, state, and federal personnel. They are all working tirelessly with the destruction of the Champlain Towers. In addition, LCC K9 Comfort Dogs will serve all in that area who have worked selflessly, as well as family members who have lost loved ones.

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Our LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Teams will be driving to and staying in Miami. Travel and accommodations in the area will be expensive. LCC's K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry never charges those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

Please prayerfully consider a donation to the LCC K-9 Travel Fund as we prepare to deploy to serve the first responders and this devastated community.

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DONATE - LCC K-9 TRAVEL FUND

Please join LCC in keeping the families, first responders, and the community in your prayers as they move through these extremely trying times.

Serving Together, Serving Others in Need, as We Serve Jesus!

Tim Hetzner
President/CEO 
Lutheran Church Charities