Recent News

Disaster Response Team Training

30 September 2005

Training for assistance in the United Methodist Disaster Response Team's plan will be held at the Sun Prairie Office Wednesday, October 12, from 1 - 3:30 p.m.

Persons wishing to help in the areas of Logistics, Case Management, Child Care, Spiritual Care, or Volunteer Management are invited to begin by taking this basic course. The course will explain the Wisconsin Disaster Response Plan and the various functions it serves.

Additional specialized training is offered at other times for the detail of the functions.

We are also looking for District Coordinators in the Coulee and North Metro districts. This course is a must for persons interested in those positions.

REGISTRATION FOR THE COURSE IS TO BE MADE BY CALLING THE CONFERENCE OFFICE AT 1-888-240-7328 BY OCTOBER 7. Additional information is available from Dave Sharpe, Conference Disaster Coordinator (608-877-8724 or deshasrpe@sbcglobal.net) - or from Billie LaBumbard (1-888-240-7328 or missionbillie@wisconsinumc.org.

At the present time we are helping with refugee resettlement (child care and housing) and long term disaster recovery from the tornados at Stoughton and Viola.

Call for Aid Update

20 September 2005

Please note the following information regarding the response efforts of the Wisconsin Annual Conference to the Hurricane Katrina disaster:

1. There is a specific need of the Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama Areas for self-contained recreational vehicles to be used by local churches where buildings (including parsonages) have been destroyed. Please make this need known to the people of your community. The Nashville Episcopal Area is helping to coordinate this effort. You will find the contact information below. If you have any questions, please contact Rev. Steve Polster, Assistant to the Bishop. He can be reached at spolster@wisconsinumc.org or by phone 1-888-240-7328.

   Those interested in donating RV's for long term use may contact:

   bishop@nasharea.org
   Nashville Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church
   520 Commerce Street, Suite 201
   Nashville, TN 37203
   Phone 615-742-8834
   Fax 615-742-3726

2. According to the Sager Brown website on 20 September, the current needs are for: health kits, school kits, twin sheets (new), pillows (new), blankets (new), and air mattresses (new). (Please note that bottled water is not needed at this time.)

   The following churches have agreed to be drop-off points for the second gathering of health kits, flood buckets and new blankets:

   • Appleton: Emmanuel UMC, 740 E College Ave, Appleton WI 54911, phone 920-731-3288
   • Boyceville UMC, 635 Main St, Boyceville WI 54725, phone 715-643-2331
   • Eau Claire: Lake Street UMC, 337 Lake St, Eau Claire WI 54701, phone 715-832-6603
   • Elm Grove: Community UMC, 14700 Watertown Plank Rd, Elm Grove WI 53122, phone 262-782-4060
   • Fond du Lac: Covenant UMC, 20 N Marr St, Fond du Lac WI 54935, phone 920-921-4949
   • Green Bay: First UMC, 501 Howe St, Green Bay WI 54301, phone 920-437-9252
   • Stevens Point: St. Paul's UMC, 600 Wilshire Blvd, Stevens Point WI 54481, phone 715-344-3557
   • Sun Prairie UMC, 702 North St, Sun Prairie WI 53590, phone 608-837-5554
   • Turtle Lake UMC, 234 N Maple St, Turtle Lake WI 54889, phone 715-986-2467

   Please find the church closest to you and take your donated items to these churches by September 28 for pick up by truck on September 29-30. (Please note that bottled water is not needed at this time.)

   [ Pictures from the pick-up of supplies at Sun Prairie UMC on September 15 ]

3. Monetary donations may be sent to the Conference Office of Finance and Administration, PO Box 620, Sun Prairie WI 53590. Please make the following notation on your check for the fund that you wish to donate to:

   • General Hurricane Fund Advance #982523 (Conference fund #6030)
   • Material Resource Ministry Advance #901440 (Conference fund #6035) (Purchase of supplies to supplement kits and shipments of aid in emergencies)
   • 2005 Storms—Wisconsin Advance fund #7799 (aid for Wisconsin tornado victims)
   
   
   

4. Our Annual Conference Disaster Relief team is responsible for childcare at the Tommy Thompson Youth Center at State Fair Park. This is currently where a number of resettled persons from Hurricane Katrina are being housed. There is a great need for all of our TRAINED annual conference childcare workers to help cover for us until we are able to train additional volunteers.

   If you have already received training to help children who are victims of disasters, please contact Rev. Christine Deaner-Rogers at Our Lord's UMC, New Berlin, as soon as possible. We are providing day care during the day-time hours only and in the following shifts: 9-12 and 12-5 (6). If you live too far outside of the area and need a place to stay overnight, please do not let that stop you from volunteering. We will endeavor to find a place for you to stay at no cost to you, even if you wish to work more than one day at a time. Chris can be reached at (414) 425-7030 (church) or (262) 641-6254 (home).

   The Conference Disaster Team is sponsoring a training of volunteers to become childcare providers for children who are victims of disaster. The training will take place at Our Lord's UMC, 5000 S. Sunny Slope Rd, New Berlin, WI, on Sunday, September 25, 2005, from 1:30 PM-4:00 PM. Persons wanting to attend this workshop are welcome to contact the church office and register (414-425-7030). They should bring with them two forms of ID and $5 to pay for a background check.

5. Several congregations have offered to sponsor families displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The following is the action plan for the Wisconsin Annual Conference of the UMC developed by the Disaster Response Team. To prepare churches/congregations to be ready to receive families, we have outlined the needs we can expect from the displaced families. This is the plan we have to offer to the Red Cross and FEMA as they look for long term/temporary sponsorship of individuals and families.

   1. Please note that most of the displaced persons will want to return home. Our goal is to help provide a place to live with dignity while efforts to rebuild continue. This will include a private place to live, work, schooling and other essentials.
   2. Most persons will likely stay in the southern states, so the need for housing will not be as great in Wisconsin as in the southern states.
   3. Willingness to host a family does not mean a family is available to be hosted, therefore please do not have everything on hand when you call to offer a place for the families. Yet, also be prepared to put your plan into action rapidly.

   Our resettlement program would work as follows:

   1. Please e-mail Rev. Jeff Nicholas, pastor at Lake Mills UMC at revsjnic@wisconsinumc.org of your willingness to sponsor an individual, a family or families. Please provide your proposed housing situation, potential employment, school opportunities available, and the name and contact information for the person serving as your local coordinator.

   2. Rev. Nicholas, on behalf of the Wisconsin UMC Disaster Response Team, will compile the list of willing and ready congregations and make contact with the American Red Cross and FEMA. This will give us an organized approach as United Methodist churches in Wisconsin and allow us to assist with several families at one time.

6. UMCOR Sager Brown is also looking for volunteers. If you know anyone who is willing:

   1. to load and unload trucks;
   2. to tolerate standing and waiting part of the time while arrangements are being determined about the dispatch of the truck on its return; and
   3. to stay here for at least 3 or 4 days

   we would love to have them!!!! We will be happy to provide room and meals. If you can help, contact Gwen Redding at UMCOR Sager Brown, gredding@sagerbrown.org or 337.923.6238.

Stoughton/Viola Tornadoes

Members of the Wisconsin Conference Disaster Response Team traveled on Sunday, August 21, to Stoughton and Viola to observe the tornado destruction. Funding has been requested from UMCOR to facilitate the long term recovery of both areas.

Volunteers are still needed at this time for clean up. If you are going there, you should call the UMC phone number (Viola UMC 608.627.1910, Stoughton UMC 608.873.3273) to find out where volunteers should register. Be sure to wear work clothes and strong shoes.

Funds collected for this recovery effort may be given to the WI Annual Conference marked "2005 Storms Fund #7799." If you have any questions, please contact Billie LaBumbard at the Conference Office, 1.888.240.7328 or missionbillie@wisconsinumc.org.

Worship Resources: In the light of these tornadoes, and the damage done by Hurricane Katrina, the General Board of Discipleship has released the following information which can help plan worship on Sunday: "When the Wind Blows: Worship Resources for Use After Hurricanes or Other Natural Disasters."

[ Pictures of the tornado damage in Stoughton ]
[ Pictures of the tornado damage in Viola ]

(Posted 25 August 2005)

Purpose of the Disaster Response Plan

To have in place, when a disaster strikes within the conference, a structure that clearly explains who does what and when and under which circumstances. The Conference Disaster Response Plan provides guidelines, suggestions, and (where appropriate) specific assignments for various conference personnel who will be involved with the implemenation of activity in response to a disaster.

As you read through the pages of this website, it is our hope that you will become aware of the efforts of many people to help those in need, and may even decide to volunteer yourself.