Nebraska Synod of the ELCA: Disaster Response: How Can You Help?

Dec - Jan 2007 Ice Storm in Nebraska -
Recent ice storms in central and western Nebraska are said to have caused more damage than any storm since 1976. Nebraska Synod responses:

Friday, Feb. 16, 2007
Nebraska Synod, ELCA - Holdrege

Nebraska Lutherans generously respond
to Dec. - Jan. Ice Crisis in mid-Nebraska

"We can't say "thanks" enough for all that has taken place on our behalf. We truly have been blessed." - David Sites, Bethel Lutheran pastor

Phelps County residents and the surrounding area residents plan to gather Sunday for a "Re-Connect Celebration" on Feb. 18th at the Phelps County Ag Center in Holdrege, Nebraska. The noon-3 p.m. event sponsored by the Phelps County Ministerial Association and Episcopal Relief and Development will celebrate that the area surrounding Holdrege has been restored to electrical power following a series of ice storms the end of December and in January.

A Community Food Fair and a program at 1:30 p.m. are on the agenda, said Pastor David Sites, senior pastor at Bethel Lutheran Church.

"We want to thank everyone in our Nebraska Synod for their immediate and generous response," said Pastor Sites. Assistance from other denominations will be lifted up as well.

More than $34,000 came to the Holdrege and surrounding area from Nebraska Synod and ELCA sources.

"People have been so gracious and understanding and supportive, and that's really what it's all about!" Pastor David Sites.

Nebraska Lutheran Disaster Responders - trained volunteers from across the state - organized helpers, triggered fundraising, and consulted with community leaders involved in providing widespread assistance to those affected by the December - January Ice Crisis in mid-Nebraska.

Because of the need to get help to people quickly, Nebraska Synod used its email list and telephone calls to request assistance of our congregations and had a wonderful response. Several of our congregations and many of our members who use Email sent substantial gifts directly to Bethel to be distributed in that area of the state.

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in St. Paul served as the area shelter for hot meals, showers and overnight stays for Howard and Greely counties, working with the St. Paul Area Ministerial Association. Hope Lutheran Church in Smithfield hosted a soup lunch for people in the Smithfield-Bertrand area. Pastor Dave Evenson in Axtell assisted in getting funds to help families in Wilcox. Area pastors served their communities in a multitude of ways, throughout the ice crisis.

Our Nebraska Synod sent $4,000 from our synod Disaster Response fund to Bethel to provide assistance in the area. Our national ELCA Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) sent $12,000 more a few days later. The LDR funds were distributed to individuals in the central part of Nebraska through Interchurch Ministries of Nebraska, one of our Nebraska Synod partners in ministry. Bishop David deFreese was able to send some of the Synod's discretionary fund to assist five other congregations assisting people in their areas.

As of February 15, individual congregations and members had sent an additional $20,000 to Bethel to help people cope with the financial challenges caused by weeks without electrical power, as well as loss of food and income during that time. More funds have been pledged as well, Pastor Sites said.

"That money was channeled through our local ministerial fund to provide rent and utility assistance for folks," explained the Rev. Sites. "Also, five ELCA congregations and some individuals actually brought supplies to Holdrege for the local food pantry."

Bethel Lutheran provided a place for people to eat for about three weeks and served as an American Red Cross shelter after the Red Cross shelter in a Holdrege school was closed.

"I would guess that during that three weeks we served meals at Bethel, about 100 different folks enjoyed at least one hot meal," Sites said. "Between lunch and supper we probably averaged around 70 - 80 persons a day. The numbers got smaller when the power was restored around the 19th."

The various congregations of the Holdrege-area community served those hot meals at Bethel. Pastor Dave repeatedly commended the joint community response to help one another and noted that Bethel and these congregations each took charge one day each week to provide food and hospitality: All Saints Catholic, First Baptist, First United Methodist, Mt. Calvary Lutheran, North Park Assembly of God, St. Elizabeth's Episcopal and the Presbyterian worked together, and Trinity Evangelical Free Church.

The Phelps Country Ministerial Association also put together a sheet of information to hand out detailing where people need to go for additional assistance.

"We are so thankful for prayers and expressions of concern, and for people actually coming and bringing things to us. We have had lots and lots of financial support. That has been a huge help for meeting immediate needs and concerns of people involved. We appreciate so much all the kind gestures, gifts of cash, in-kind donations and assistance that have been extended to this community and area. People from all over the state have responded," the Rev. Sites said.

The funds that came to Bethel from the Nebraska Synod congregations, individuals, and from Nebraska Synod Disaster Fund were channeled into the Holdrege Ministerial Fund which will support a long-term assistance program in the area.

"There are some area residents who are going to need assistance for some time because of the loss they suffered," Sites said. "We would like to get folks back on level ground financially so they aren't having to work out of a hole for the next few months." Many people lost wages as well as the contents of refrigerators and freezers during the time without power. Those who used generators often paid $75 to $100 per day to keep them running. People also suffered tree damage and some wind damage.

"The spirits are good overall. The feelings are that we have really been blessed by the care and efforts of so many across our state. I have not heard the grumbling and complaining that one might expect after such a disaster."

Friday, Jan. 12, 2007

Heather Feltman, the executive director of Lutheran Disaster Response, announced today [Fri., Jan. 12] the release of a grant of $10,000 to Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska to assist those enduring hardships as a result of the New Year's ice storms in Nebraska. Lutheran Family Service will be channeling these funds through the Nebraska Rural Response Hot Line. Individuals seeking assistance can call 1-800 464-0258.

These funds are in addition to the $4,000 sent from Nebraska Synod Disaster Funds to Bethel in Holdrege, as well as funds and pantry donations from several Nebraska Synod congregations.

In a related development, Workforce Development announced that there is also now assistance available for those who lost wages as a result of the storm, said Nebraska Lutheran Disaster Response Coordinator Roger Kruger.

Interested parties should call 877 725-9918 where they will be asked a series of questions by an automated system.

Applicants should answer "no" when asked if they would like to file on-line, "yes" when asked if they are job attached, and, if their date of returning to work is unknown, they should provide a date at least 30 days from the date of the call.

Additional information can be found at www.nema.ne.gov

Chris Trauernicht of Hallam worked with a small NLDR crew in Holdrege today [Wed. 1/10/07] in advance of another storm and forecast extreme cold spell.

On Wednesday, Jan. 10 as of 9:30 a.m., members from Zion Lutheran Church in Carleton, a member from Southwood Lutheran in Lincoln, and the Trauernichts are presently on site at Bethel Lutheran Church in Holdrege on a chain saw crew, working ahead of the next approaching winter storm. This group represents Nebraska Lutheran Disaster Response, and will be cutting and organizing debris from the storm and assessing needs. The NLDR group will be self-sufficient, wearing bright green vests!

Thur. Jan. 4, St. Mark's in St. Paul:
St. Mark's Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Nebraska serves as the St. Paul area Shelter for Howard and Greely counties. St. Mark's church building is located at 1306 Howard Avenue in St. Paul, across from the public school.

Services currently available include:
Hot food and friendly conversation 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Hot showers (times may vary daily)
Assistance for Laundry
Over-night stays (as necessary)

Contact information:
Rev. Joseph W. Javorsky
Cell - 308-750-1318
Church - 308-754-4910
The Shelter efforts are sponsored by the St. Paul Area Ministerial Association and Local Congregations!

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Fri. Jan. 5, Hope in Smithfield reports:
For Sunday, Jan. 7:
Power's On, Worship's On, and
Soup's On at Hope-Smithfield

Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church, an open-country congregation between Smithfield and Bertrand, resumed its regular schedule on Sunday January 7, 2006:

In addition, the congregation hosted a soup lunch after the 10 a.m. service so folks can have a warm meal and reconnect around faith, food and fellowship.