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 Recently, I visited some of the areas of Eastern New York that were flood ravaged in late August by Hurricane Irene. As an expression of the ministry of the Church (St. John's - West Seneca), Nick Doucette and I traveled there as part of Lutheran Disaster Response. A visual experience I will always remember is of the members of the church wiping disinfectant on the 29" of the inside framework of the walls in the parish hall that were exposed to the flood waters. Yes, there was devastation of a magnitude that was categorized as a 500-year flood. Yes, I remember images of a gutted mobile home, many houses vacant, a lifetime of personal items and furniture at the curbside to be carried away. In the midst of so much loss and hurt, the members of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Middleburgh gathered to share in the task of recovery. While the wallboard that already showed signs of black mold and insulation that gushed water out on the floor was torn out, the pains-taking task of cleaning the wood framing continued. The woodwork needed to be cleaned so that the mold did not continue to grow inside the walls. Some of the volunteers from LDR did the same work.
Such hope and persistence was, along with some many expressions of "thanks" for the volunteer work we did, a powerful blessing. As much as we tried to be helpful and useful, by comparison, what we received seemed so much more." (Thanks to Rev. John Klatt for sharing his experience.)
The recovery from Hurricane Irene/Tropical Storm Lee will go on for months and years. Help continues to be needed. For information and location of volunteer reception centers connecting volunteers to work opportunities visit www.capitalrtc.org and click on 'flood relief.'
Thank you to LDR trainers, Dale and Jeannie Peercy who provided the Long Term Recovery When Rebuilding is Involved training in 3 locations this past week. Just over 60 people participated at the 3 locations and 91 more attended on-line.
LDR Upstate NY Hurricane/Flood Relief Exceeds Fundraising Goal
Thank you to all those congregations and individuals who helped us raise $28,267.29 for Hurricane/Flood relief to support Lutheran Disaster Response's long term recovery efforts in storm impacted areas. These dollars will be matched by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans with a Care in Region's grant of $5,000. Over the coming months the funds raised will be routed through local long term recovery groups to help meet individual and household unmet needs. A case management process will identify those needs during the rebuilding phase.
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Long Term Recovery When Rebuilding Is Involved |
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Heavenly Father, enliven all your children to continue to respond with compassion, aid, and your care amidst the long road of recovery ahead so all may know the hope of your grace. Amen.
Jeannie and Dale Peercy, LDR Volunteer and Rebuilding Management experts will be in New York Oct. 27 - Nov. 4 providing Long Term Recovery When Rebuilding is Involved workshops. The Rochester Oct. 29 training will also be webcast from the Upstate New York Synod website. Additional training is being offered in several eastern and southern impacted communities including at St. Paul's - Richmondville on Oct. 31. If your congregation is interested in volunteering for repair and rebuilding efforts this is the training for you. Come learn how best to help. Register by Oct. 21.
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LDR Welcomes Jessica Vermilyea, State Director, LDR Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response, Louisiana
Jessica Vermilyea arrived on Oct. 3rd to work with Vern Hall, our LDR Team Leader in Schoharie County. Having served with LDR following Hurricane Katrina, Jessica brings a wealth of experience to share with our volunteers that will aid in our Long Term Recovery efforts. An initial meeting was held at Zion Lutheran Church in Cobleskill. Representatives from local faith groups, not-for-profit, government and other community groups learned about the local long term recovery process. FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaison, Mark Davis and Church World Service Regional Representative, Joann Hale presented an overview of the work that is ahead for the communities to recover from the affects of Hurricane Irene.
Long Term Recovery is a partnership process led by local communities and supported by New York Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NYVOAD) partners including Lutheran Disaster Response. Many hands will be needed to assist our brothers and sisters in recovery. You can help by:
- Getting trained - join us on October 29 at Trinity Emmanuel in Rochester for Long Term Recovery When Rebuilding is Involved Workshop. Watch for other dates across NY State where this training will also be offered. For information how to register read more
- Volunteering as part of a work team. Volunteers from Trinity Emmanuel - Rochester and St. Timothy's - Geneseo have committed to helping members of Holy Nativity in Endicott to repair and rebuild their damaged fellowship hall. Register at response@nyvoad.org.
- Giving a financial donation to support LDR staff working locally in the long term recovery process and to meet individual unmet needs. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will match our $15,000 raised by Nov. 1 with an additional $5,000. Send donations to: LDR, Upstate NY Hurricane/Flood Relief, c/o Lutheran Homes Foundation, 108 Utica Rd., Clinton, NY 13323. (Checks payable to "Lutheran Homes Foundation" - please note Upstate NY Hurricane/Flood Relief in the memo line.)
Thank you to all the congregations and individuals across our synod who have helped to assemble flood buckets. Buckets have been delivered to Schoharie County communities and to the Southern Tier. Please have any remaining buckets to drop off locations no later than October 15.
- Niagara Frontier (WNY) - Still in One Peace Crisis Services, 9365 Clarence Center Rd., Clarence Ctr., NY, Contact is Pr. Steve Biegner, stevebiegner@gmail.com, 716-868-1232.
- Genesee Finger Lakes - Trinity Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 761 Elmgrove Rd., Rochester, NY. Contact either Gary Roller, gwr67@peoplepc.com, or Frank Haak, (585)544-1095 .
- Central Crossroads -
- Syracuse area: King of Kings Lutheran Church, 8278 Oswego Rd., Liverpool, NY. (315) 622-2077;
- Rome: First United Methodist Church, 400 N. George St., Rome, NY (315) 336-1740.
- Utica area: New Hartford First United Methodist Church, 105 Genesee St., New Hartford, NY (315) 733-4227.
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Long Term Recovery When Rebuilding Is Involved |
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Lutheran Disaster Response and the New York Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NYVOAD) present Long Term Recovery When Rebuilding Is Involved. A day long workshop that brings to light the many different components, processes, and the partners involved in Long Term Recovery. This event is being held at Trinity Emmanuel, Rochester from 8:30am - 4:30pm on Saturday, October 29, 2011.
Registration is $10.00 and includes all handout materials and lunch. To register please mail your name, title, orgainization, address, phone and email address along with a check payable to LutheranCare (memo line LTR Workshop) by October 21, 2011 to:
LutheranCare
Attn: Patsy Glista, LDR Coordinator
108-110 Utica Road
Clinton, NY 13323
While the registration check may cover more than one person, please submit registration information for each individual attending.
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Disaster Tips Sheets for U.S. Religious Leaders |
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In May 2011, the National Disaster Interfaiths Network launched its Be A Ready Congregation campaign. Key to this campaign are the NDIN "Disaster Tip Sheets for U.S. Religious Leaders." Each Tip Sheet offers religious leaders in the U.S. all-hazards best practices and resource links about disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery – specifically of relevance to religious leaders, faith communities and faith-based organizations.
A free resource, the Tip Sheets have been developed to assist American faith communities as they seek to provide mitigation education and preparedness training or when they respond to crises and activate their congregations to coordinate volunteers, manage donations, provide mass care, attend to spiritual and mental health needs, and continue their many religious and social services post-disaster.
Because religious leaders are among the first and most trusted sources of risk-communication and leadership in the houses of worship, neighborhoods, and faith communities where they serve, they have an important role when disasters strike. These Tip Sheets aim to educate and assist religious leaders and their congregations, as they prepare to serve and respond in effective, inclusive, and compassionate ways.
As part of the Be A Ready Congregation campaign, NDIN will regularly release new Tip Sheets and other best practices and resource tools. Please monitor our website or register for iNET, our free monthly e-newsletter, to learn more about new releases. NDIN also offers a Tip Sheet Orientation as well as other trainings designed to orient religious leaders and their emergency management or disaster public health and mental health partners to faith-based disaster human services best practices. For more information, contact us at info@n-din.org.
NDIN Tip Sheets can be downloaded by visiting (http://www.n-din.org/ndin_resources/ndin_tips_sheets.php). All rights are reserved - If our material is quoted or duplicated in other resources, please acknowledge the source.
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