Hugo should be overrun with tornado cleanup volunteers today. I had personal call to help (see previous blog) but had decided to stay with the needs in Stockton. There is still so much need there...
HOWEVER, my good friend Steve Neddermeyer, the Pork Chop Man, has kicked me into action. We have offered to help with a big event at New Life Lutheran to give the church a way reach out to the community.
New Life is offering free childcare (limited to 40 kids) for residents or volunteers today. What a great idea! But, they are also musing about doing a larger event, like a neighborhood barbecue? Possibly a pork chop feed/quilt distribution like we did in Stockton? Watch here for details and a call for volunteers and Thrivent participation.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Tornados and Floods and Hail, Oh My!
It's been a busy week. The tornado and severe storms in the Twin Cities affected a few of my own friends; one of the administrative assistants at our church had significant hail damage and our good friend Miriam Carter, who has been a workhorse (!) in Rushford and Stockton had a neighbor's tree limb damage her roof.
I am in the middle of getting my FEMA certification and had a call Monday morning asking if I could help in Hugo with gawker control. I chose to not go as we are still highly involved in Stockton with flood relief and I was concerned about spreading myself too thin. But, as my next blog will show, I think God has other plans...
Speaking of Stockton, a team will be in Stockton this Tuesday, June 3, to clean out some fields that are still debris-littered (no crop again this year), and to clean up the banks of Garvin Brook, clear a couple of yards where houses will be part of the buyout, and plant grass seed and shrubs around a couple of modular homes that have been brought in. We could use some help with all of these projects over the next several weeks. They are not "skilled" worker jobs, and we can use youth groups, too.
Another group will be there from Woodbury June 16-20, and they would be glad to work with other groups.
I also talked with Rick Lane with Lutheran Disaster Relief in Winona this week and he had a disappointing week as groups from the Twin Cities cancelled their commitment to Minnesota City and Stockton jobs to go to Hugo. He is concerned June will be very slow for them; I urge you to remember most of the people in Minnesota City and Stockton are uninsured and need every bit of help they can get, whereas after the cleanup those in Hugo will get insurance help.
Don't forget there are still needs in SE Minnesota!
I am in the middle of getting my FEMA certification and had a call Monday morning asking if I could help in Hugo with gawker control. I chose to not go as we are still highly involved in Stockton with flood relief and I was concerned about spreading myself too thin. But, as my next blog will show, I think God has other plans...
Speaking of Stockton, a team will be in Stockton this Tuesday, June 3, to clean out some fields that are still debris-littered (no crop again this year), and to clean up the banks of Garvin Brook, clear a couple of yards where houses will be part of the buyout, and plant grass seed and shrubs around a couple of modular homes that have been brought in. We could use some help with all of these projects over the next several weeks. They are not "skilled" worker jobs, and we can use youth groups, too.
Another group will be there from Woodbury June 16-20, and they would be glad to work with other groups.
I also talked with Rick Lane with Lutheran Disaster Relief in Winona this week and he had a disappointing week as groups from the Twin Cities cancelled their commitment to Minnesota City and Stockton jobs to go to Hugo. He is concerned June will be very slow for them; I urge you to remember most of the people in Minnesota City and Stockton are uninsured and need every bit of help they can get, whereas after the cleanup those in Hugo will get insurance help.
Don't forget there are still needs in SE Minnesota!
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