WPAUMC
Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference
The United Methodist Church
Erie-Meadville District
The Rev. Patricia. S. Harbison, Superintendent
5304 U.S. Highway 19
Cochranton, PA 16314-4440
Phone/Fax: 814-425-3568
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DISASTER RELIEF
CURRENT INFORMATION REGARDING GREENSBURG TORNADO RECOVERY EFFORT
November 8, 2007
Recovery efforts:
Recovery efforts in Greensburg, Kansas, and the surrounding area affected by the May 4 tornado are continuing. Volunteer teams from all over the United States have come to help in the relief effort. Thousands of hours have been donated by these volunteers. The survivors of the storms are very grateful for all that has been done for them.
Debris clean-up was the primary focus for several months, but at this time, houses are being framed so that interior work can be done by volunteers during the colder months. Other work has been in homes which survived the storms, but which had damage extensive enough that they could not be occupied.
Electricity and other services have not been completely restored throughout Greensburg. Some areas do have these services. The projected date of electricity being available throughout the area is before the first of the year.
Although there are still many holes in the ground showing evidence of dwellings previously being there, there is also evidence of many homes being repaired and new ones being built. Some people have opted to buy modular homes, and others have hired contractors for a stick-built house. Volunteers help with people who didn’t have enough money to replace their homes, but they are able to rebuild by purchasing the materials.
Volunteers are still needed.
The recovery of Greensburg will take twelve to eighteen more months, and some predict many months beyond that. Volunteers with all kinds of abilities are needed to help in this recovery effort. Some of the jobs crews are doing now include framing, dry wall, setting sinks and other plumbing, painting, roofing, electrical work, trim work, and putting in window and doors. Our tool trailers have many tools, but many like to bring their own.
Housing is available for volunteers, especially in the months of December, January and February. As was mentioned, houses will be framed for people to work indoors away from the cold. Call the UMC Recovery Office to schedule your team, or to volunteer as a single or couple. 620-862-5422
New housing will soon be available.
The Greensburg Methodist Church is rebuilding, and there will be housing available in the basement. Plans are to include showers in the building. The church will not be completed until some time in May, but teams who are looking to the summer and beyond for their trips could be conveniently housed at this church right in Greensburg.
The SCKTRO organization has also built a volunteer village with a large dining hall to seat one hundred, and sleeping units and shower trailers have been donated by charitable organizations. Maximum occupancy for the sleeping units will be 80. These are located in Greensburg. Meals will be provided for people using the sleeping units, and there is a suggested donation of $20 per night for this. Arrangements for using this housing can be made by contacting 620-388-3760. The middle of November will see the V.V. in full operation.
Some things to know about planning your trip:
1) NO WORK WILL BE DONE ON SUNDAYS. This was a SCKTRO committee decision.
2) Volunteers who are below the age of 18 will need to be accompanied by adult sponsors and/or parents.
3) Come with an attitude of service, willing to do whatever task is needing to be done at that time. All the work is important.
4) If you would like to see some pictures taken immediately after the storm, go to www.galen.buller.com and then to “Greensburg Tornado.”
5) Volunteers who come to work do not need to be VIM trained.
Interesting facts about Greensburg:
The Kwik Shop (convenience store) on Highway 54 is the 4th-largest grossing Kwik Shop in the United States. (Everyone stops to take pictures, and maybe buy gas or get a drink.)
74% of the Greensburg School population returned to attend school this year. This was possible because the district sends buses to the outlying towns to pick up Greensburg students in the morning and return them after school.
Volunteer hours through the United Methodist Recovery Office exceed 12,000.
Volunteers have come from Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Colorado, California, Pennsylvania, Texas, Oregon, Louisiana, Mississippi, Virginia, Illinois, and Iowa. Inquiries about teams to come have also been received from New York, Alaska, Wyoming, and Arizona.
Over one hundred forty tornados were reported throughout Kansas and Nebraska the weekend of May 4-6, 2007.
PLACES TO EAT WHILE WORKING IN THE GREENSBURG AREA:
Many teams bring their own food and use the kitchen of the Haviland Methodist Church to cook their own meals. The kitchen is fully stocked with large cooking pots and pans, two microwaves, two refrigerators, a 12-burner gas stove, 4-burner electric stove and oven, and Bunn coffee maker. No crock pot.
Here are a few other options you might consider.
Barclay College cafeteria, Haviland
12:00-1:00
Consists of two entrees, vegetables, salad bar, dessert, and drink $6.00
5:30-6:30
Lighter meal of sandwiches or spaghetti, salad bar, dessert, and drink $5.00
These meals are only available when school is in session. During the summer, there is the Bear’s Den in the student center, where sandwiches, a slice of pizza, or corn dog, etc. may be purchased.
RJ’s Café, Haviland
Breakfast and lunch only. Not open on Sunday. Open Saturday evening.
Limited menu, but daily specials.
Prices vary. Grilled cheese $1.50, Hamburger & fries, $4.50, drink extra,
and other diner-type meals
Special, $6.95 (taco bowl, meat and potatoes, or other)
Homemade pies, $2.25 slice
Greensburg
The Volunteer Village will serve meals to all volunteers for a per meal fee in their dining room, even if you are not staying in their housing. The meals are made in a food trailer, and there is seating for one hundred in the dining hall. This is located behind the hospital on Highway 54. Opening date is some time in November. Open Monday through Saturday.
Kwik Shop: A convenience store with hot dogs on roller-grills and sandwiches to be put in a microwave. There is also a small grocery store area to buy essentials.
JD’s Barbecue: Tuesday and Wednesday at the corner of Highway 54 and Bay Street. This is a food trailer, but he barbecues meat daily and serves sandwiches and brats, cole slaw, potato salad, and drinks. Reasonable and delicious.
Pratt
About a dozen restaurants are available in Pratt, which is twenty miles east of Haviland, and thirty miles east of Greensburg. You will be supplied a list of these places when you arrive at your lodging. There are fast food and nationally recognized chains (Subway, KFC, etc) as well as some family-owned places.
For the most up to date ongoing disaster relief - Check out the website: www.missioncentral.com or call (717) 766-1533 for details about what is needed and what you can do to help. Locally, you may call Rev. Joy Blackburn at 814 683-5485 or email revjoy3485@windstream.net; or Diane Miller, VIM Coordinator, at 724-652-9182
Needed Supplies - UMCOR's relief supply warehouse, the Sager Brown Depot in Baldwin, La.,
issued a new list of most needed relief supplies this week. The top need is not a standard kit, but specific cleaning items that are required to fulfill requests after 2005's many disasters. Relief supplies are requested in the following order:
1. Cleaning Supplies
2. Bedding Kits
3. Flood Buckets
4. School Bags
5. Layette Kits
For more information about specific supplies and shipping, please visit: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/05/sagerbrowntopneeds.cfm Cash donations are also needed to cover the purchase of additional items andshipping costs. Please give to UMCOR Advance #901440, Material Resource
Ministry, to help provide for additional expenses.
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