UPDATE AND NEWS ON COLORADO FLOODING RESPONSE
Currently, the Rocky Mountain Annual Conference where Colorado is located, has not yet officially requested or invited ERT (Early Response) teams or UMVIM volunteer teams yet to come in to the conference to respond to the flooding. Right now, agencies in Colorado have started the debris/muckout and cleanup efforts in some areas but mostly assessment the damage and needs is still ongoing. ERT teams in Colorado are beginning to organize so that when the invite comes they can be ready to respond.
Below is news from the COVOAD (Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster):
Thanks to all of the agencies that are ready to start the debris/muckout
and cleanup efforts. If you have registered with Crisis Cleanup you
should be able to start canvasing and signing up clients. Before going
into the disaster affected neighborhoods you need to check in with the ICP
or the EOC. We are trying to reach out to the EOC's with a list of valid
debris agencies to ensure your entry. Boulder County is NOT ready to
receive clean up help. When the county is ready they will send a request to the state. That request will come to COVOAD and at that time we can let you know that it is time to start working Boulder County. All of the groups that will be going into the affected areas including American Red Cross and The Salvation Army should also register with CrisisCleanup. This will allow you to do client intake for cleanup while in the field. 211 operators will be available for crisis cleanup client intake so if you have no way to get the information entered you can tell the client to call 211.
We will be present in all of the disaster assistance centers to do
intake as well. Thank you for your cooperation in this massive cleanup
effort!
- Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (COVOAD)
Phone: 202-656-8623 (20C-OLO-VOAD)
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, TEAM LEADER TRAINING EVENTS AND OTHER VOLUNTEER NEWS
Team Leader Training: Aldersgate UMC in Tustin, CA on September 21, 2013. Contact Jennifer Demaree at thedemarees@gmail.com for more information.
Team to Haiti: November 5-13, 2013. The team is seeking three additional team members to serve in putting a roof on a church. Cost is $1500 per person. For more information, please email Craig Parker at wmscraig@aol.com.
Chile Gathering: September 2014 at Mt. Hermon Christian Conference Center near Santa Cruz, CA. Learn, fellowship, and celebrate mission service in Chile from former missionaries to Chile, Beryl and Stan Moore and others. For more information and registration please email Beryl and Stan Moore at berylstan@aol.com
Elk Grove UMC Volunteers in Crisfield, Maryland
From Cal-Nevada Conference
In the picture, shown left to right: Kathy La Point-Collup, Steve Collup, Giles; Mary Popish, Bruce and Bonnie McKinnie, Jean and Lyn Hawkins and Patsy Hopkins.
An Elk Grove United Methodist Church Volunteers in Mission (VIM) Team just returned from Crisfield, Maryland as Disaster Response Team Volunteers.
Crisfield, a small fishing community (population 2,700) on the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay, suffered a huge tidal surge when Hurricane Sandy hit shore last October and until recently, was largely overlooked. Through the Peninsula-Delaware Annual Conference Disaster Response Ministry, a center has been set up in Crisfield to help the residents with local recovery efforts.
The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has helped with funding and consulting. Volunteer housing has been set up in two local United Methodist Churches (bunk beds, showers, kitchen, etc.) to make it easy for teams to find housing. Materials and tools are provided for the volunteer teams--financial donations, of course, are always welcome. A Construction Supervisor is on hand to assist and oversee volunteer teams.
The Elk Grove team was involved with re-roofing, dry walling, taping and mudding at one home while most members of the family were living elsewhere until the home was safe and secure again. They also finished up minor projects in two others homes where families had recently moved back in. "It was a wonderful time sharing the love of God through the physical work of re-building a home," noted the Rev. Kathy La Point-Collup, pastor of Elk Grove UMC.
However, there are 300 homes that still need assistance. Volunteer teams are needed for demolition, framing, flooring, roofing, dry walling, mudding, painting and much more.
To learn more about volunteering in Crisfield, please contact Anika Jackson, volunteer coordinator at umcorteamcrisfield@comcast.net and indicate your interest in volunteering.
