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A UMNS Web-only image by Julie Lautt Floodwaters cover a road in East Ohio.
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Floodwaters
cover a road in East Ohio. Snow and low temperatures caused flooding
throughout the Midwest, making travel dangerous. United Methodists
provided shelter and emergency services to people who were affected. A
UMNS Web-only image by Julie Lautt. Photo #w05-013 . Accompanies UMNS
story #076. 2/2/05 |
Feb. 2, 2005 By United Methodist News Service The
United Methodist Committee on Relief has sent an initial $10,000 grant
for emergency flood relief to the denomination’s South Indiana Annual
(regional) Conference. The Rev. Tom Hazelwood, UMCOR’s U.S.
disaster coordinator, said in a Jan. 31 interview that he expects to
receive a grant request for the North Indiana Annual Conference as well. Flood buckets and health kits also have been sent to the South Indiana Conference. In
early January, rainfall ranging from more than 2 inches in the north to
more than 6 inches in the south combined with snowmelt to cause
significant flooding from rivers and streams. More rain on Jan. 11 and
13 compounded the problem. Nearly 2,000 residents in 62 Indiana
counties have applied for federal aid because of recent storms and
floods, the Associated Press reported Jan. 29. So far, about a third of
the applicants have been approved, for a total of $1.75 million in aid.
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A UMNS Web-only image by Julie Lautt With roads flooded, people in East Ohio resort to other ways of getting around.
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With
roads flooded, people in East Ohio resort to other ways of getting
around. Flooding caused problems in Ohio and other parts of the Midwest
in January. United Methodists provided shelter and emergency services to
people who were affected. A UMNS Web-only image by Julie Lautt, East
Ohio Annual Conference. Photo #w05-012 . Accompanies UMNS story #076.
2/2/05 |
Robert Babcock, South Indiana’s disaster response coordinator, pointed out that towns like Shoals, French Lick, Orleans, Hazleton and Spencer had been partially under water and that he had received many requests for assistance. Hazelwood
said the infrastructure developed by Indiana United Methodists to deal
with last year’s tornados would be useful for flood recovery efforts. He
expects the denomination will conduct long-term relief work in the
state. The floods hit neighboring states as well, and churches throughout the region responded. For example, Christ United Methodist Church in Marietta, Ohio, allowed itself to be used as a Red Cross shelter. “Having
the church used as a shelter for our local Red Cross continues to make
an impact on many lives,” Pastor Charles Martindell wrote. In addition
to those seeking shelter, “the whole church family has been touched by
this experience.” Monetary
donations earmarked for flood relief can be made to UMCOR’s domestic
disaster fund and placed in local church offering plates or sent
directly to UMCOR, 475 Riverside Drive, Room 330, New York, NY 10115.
Designate checks for UMCOR Advance #901670. Credit-card donations can
be made online at www.methodistrelief.org or by calling (800) 554-8583. New York, (646) 369-3759 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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