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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodists together |
September 2005 |
Volunteer teams needed for Hurricane Dennis cleanup
A UMNS Report
By Linda Bloom
Volunteer teams will be needed this fall in Alabama and Florida for continued cleanup after Hurricane Dennis.
| "There is a great need for teams."
- Tom Hazelwood |
The Rev. Tom Hazelwood, U.S. disaster coordinator for the United Methodist Committee on Relief, said some teams already scheduled for the continuing Hurricane Ivan repair work were diverted to cleanup duty after Dennis came ashore July 10.
But more assistance, in the form of both unskilled and skilled labor, is needed from Labor Day through the fall. "There is a great need for teams," he told United Methodist News Service. "At this point, there's still a lot of debris to clean up."
Teams and individuals wishing to volunteer in the Hurricane Dennis recovery can call UMCOR's Volunteer Hotline toll-free at 800-918-3100.
Assessment of damage from the hurricane shows a path about 10 miles wide, according to Hazelwood. In Milton, Fla., and the nearby town of Pace, homes newly rebuilt or repaired after Hurricane Ivan suffered damage from wind or falling trees. "Milton and Pace seem to have gotten the worst of it," he said.
Extensive damage
According to reports compiled by the denomination's Alabama-West Florida Conference, extensive damage was done to the sanctuary at First United Methodist Church in Atmore, Ala., where the organ and Steinway piano were destroyed. At First United Methodist Church in Flomaton, Ala., the classrooms and library resource room on the first and second floors suffered severe damage, and the building had extensive leakage.
In the Pensacola District, numerous churches in Santa Rosa County and northern Escambia County sustained only superficial damage from Hurricane Dennis. However, many homes of church members were damaged.
Hazelwood said he is working with the conference staff on the possibility of assisting with case management of Hurricane Dennis victims.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has opened disaster recovery centers in both Florida and Alabama.
Aside from physical needs, the stress from last year's hurricanes and the summer storm has created an anxiety level "that makes people almost unable to cope" when hurricane warnings are issued, Hazelwood said. He and Bishop Larry Goodpaster are dealing with the spiritual and emotional needs of those affected by the hurricanes.
Hurricane Dennis was blamed for several deaths in the South. Outside the United States, the hurricane resulted in the deaths of dozens of people in Haiti and Cuba, destroyed homes and crops, and killed livestock.
Eight Cuban churches destroyed
According to information received by the Rev. Larry Rankin, staff with the United Methodist Florida Conference, the hurricane destroyed eight Methodist church buildings in the southeastern part of Cuba as well as house churches there. About 42 people sought emergency shelter in the sanctuary of the Methodist church in Niquero, the only Methodist church in that area not severely damaged.
Contributions to United Methodist recovery efforts can be designated to "Hurricanes 2005 Global," Advance No. 982523. Checks to UMCOR can be placed in church offering plates or mailed directly to UMCOR, P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068. To make a credit-card donation, call 800-554-8583 or contribute online at www.methodistrelief.org.
UMCOR also needs donations of flood buckets filled with cleaning supplies. For more information, call UMCOR Sager-Brown distribution center in Baldwin, La., at 800-814-8765 or visit http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/print/kits/.
Linda Bloom serves as a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.
Last updated on 25 Apr 2008