If you aren't on the Hilltop list and missed it....

Hello all Hilltop volunteers!

We need your help in a way that will not involve any travel, expense, aching muscles or bad smells. For our Hilltop Family Reunion on September 1-3, we are compiling several Top 10 Lists and would love to have your contributions in the following categories:

Best Moment
Funniest Moment
Worst Smell
Most Touching Memory

Please email these thoughts, lists, or memories to whites@hilltoprescue.org. There are so many common experiences of the work here among vastly different volunteers. We look forward to putting together some lists that everyone can relate to and enjoy. Thank you for your help! If you are unable to attend the reunion, look for these lists to appear on the website in early September.

Sincerely,
June White

In the News!!!

ONN's blog and coverage of team 17 working

The ONN 30 minute special aired first Thursday night and will air Saturday (26th) at 5pm, and on Sunday (27th) at 10pm. Thanks to Amy, Stephanie, and the gang at ONN for covering the continued need.

And Thanks to the Columbus Dispatch! You'll also find some of Amy's work from Thursday and Friday at these links:

Dispatch covers ONN covering Servants Unite team 17

Amy Backus on their trip from Friday's paper

I also heard this story on NPR Weekend Edition this morning focusing on the effectiveness of non-profit disaster relief organizations and volunteers who have followed their faith to the gulf coast.

listen here

And watch out for Ernesto. It is predicted to become a hurricane and current projections have it aimed squarely at New Orleans.

Let's all pray it disipates.

If it doesn't... we've all got a lot of work to do. Keep watching the blog and these emails for updates. If you can help plan our response to Ernesto or the next hurricane, please contact me at the email or numbers below.

__________________________________________________________
1 Peter 4:10, Mark 12:30-31, Mathew 9:36-38, Romans 12:4-8

John McGuire
www.ServantsUnite.org
614-523-3996 home
614-404-8610 cel

Progress in New Orleans

Don't have pics back from our team yet, but found this one on the Times Picayune home page this morning as part of the lead story.


Great illustration of the slow progress. The stories Stephanie Menecke has been filing on OhioNewsNow.com are as well.

After nearly a year of effort and thousands of families touched, this is just a reminder of how much work we still have to do.

John McGuire
Servants Unite!

Ohio Brings Hope on the Web

ONN has a lot of blog and video on their web site.

Team 17 on the ground

Editor's Note: Our 17th team is made up of 8 people and being covered by ONN (Ohio News Network) as part of their anniversary of Katrina coverage. Melissa Ruble of Gracepoint Community Church in Lewis Center is the lead for the week.

Yes we are here, but for those of you taping. The coverage will be on at 5pm and 9pm. Please change that on your settings. Also the coverage of today will air at noon on Monday. PLEASE could you make sure that you tape it so that we can see if any clips will be decent to view as a short announcement on Sunday the 13th.

Yes we are here and today was our day off to go around and view the area. We saw soooo much devistation. There was even a pick-up truck under a house in the lower 9th. We will keep you updated as we begin to gut out houses tomorrow.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support on this trip. We were even able to pray with some ladies that were coming back as seeing a friend's house that was destroyed. God is moving in so many ways.

Thanks,
Melissa Ruble

TV Coverage and Next Trip

Be watching the blog, ONN, and your local CBS affiliate in Ohio for coverage of our team working in New Orleans this week. Eight team members pulled out at 8:30 Saturday and got in Chalmette VERY late after a long delay for a traffic accident (that they were not involved in). Thanks to Staphanie Mennecke, Amy Backus, Jamie Walters, and Micah Riffle of Ohio News Network for their support and coverage of our efforts in disaster relief in New Orleans this week.

Can you believe it's been nearly a year since Katrina struck? To honor all the volunteers who have worked with Hilltop, the organization is hosting a "reunion" of sorts at the school in Chalmette for Labor Day weekend. Volunteers will be treated to a day long cookout/party to celebrate the work we have all done together to help thousands of storm victims.

Servants Unite will be sending a team leaving Saturday September 2 to work for the week of Labor Day and join in the party. If you have been before, or even if you have not and would like the opportunity to turn your life over to the work of the Kingdom for a week, please respond to this email or call me at the numbers below.

Thanks for your continued efforts!

Servants Unite!

August 5 Team Meeting

The August 5 team will meet at GracePoint Church in Lewis Center (just north of Polaris off 23) at 3:00 Sunday for a final planning meeting.

Directions

Please contact Melissa Ruble with questions or if you get lost. Her phone number is 614-216-9839.

It's not too late to go along! If you are interested, please come to the meeting.

John McGuire
Servants Unite!

Pleas from New York State

Brothers & Sisters in Christ, Our relief effort of providing the necessary items to help people clean their homes continues to be a blessing to us and is greatly appreciated by each and every person who comes in. What we need the most right now are people willing to come here and help us clean homes and get them ready to re-build. We are a small congregation with a big heart but we are limited to how many families we can help. If you have some free time, please come here and join us in reaching out to those in need.

Your brother in Christ

Dave Halligan
Endwell Church of Christ
_________________________________________

I appreciate you trying to round up some volunteers. We have several groups going up to work. They didn't give me a final count of houses that need worked on but they said they had a huge stack of them and had stopped accepting applications until they knew how many volunteers we could get up there. I will be getting updated numbers this week and posting them on the blog hopefully Monday.

Thanks for getting back with me!!

Have a Great Evening!!
Laura
Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team
_________________________________________

This is Meghan from University at Buffalo. I'm really excited that you guys are on to this flood relief. I live in Vestal NY (right near Binghamton). God totally protected my family and nothing was damaged. The area really needs your help. Thanks for your help! Keep me updated if you need anything.

Meghan
_________________________________________


I just got back from a medical mission to Haiti, and opened your a-mail. I knew about the flooding in Binghamton because all my family is there. My brother was only one that lost his home due to it being right on the river. I spoke to my family yesterday and they said the need was in the Conklin area there ( It's about 30 to 45 miles outside Binghamton and right on the river) My sister and her husband went to help and said there was a Presbyterian church giving food, clothing and helping folks move their big appliances out of their homes. Their are not any Church of Christ in that area, the Endwell Church I attended reached out to the community as my family reported.

Deb Bentley

Mission Update and Needs

Contents:
1. August 29 deadline approaches – After that time, “abandoned” houses may be taken over by the local government and sold.
2. Two July groups made a massive contribution – Groups of 18 and 35 joined other volunteers over the last two weeks in Chalmette to gut 15 houses combined plus rebuilding a local school.
3. August 5 trip – ONN (Ohio News Network) will have a crew covering our work for their “Ohio Brings Hope” series ahead of the anniversary of Katrina.
4. What would Natalie do? – Gahanna teen who made her 2nd trip last week is promoting trips to more churches in the area.
5. Binghamton New York flood relief – No response to the first request for volunteers. Any takers now?


1. Orleans and St. Bernard Parishes encompassing the city of New Orleans, Chalmette, and other suburbs gave residents a deadline 2 months ago to have their homes cleaned out and secured by August 29 or else. Homes not cleaned out by that time may be appropriated by the Parish and sold for redevelopment and demolished. This makes our help over the next month and a half all the more important. The backlog of job requests at Hilltop Rescue in Chalmette has risen from 600 at the time of that announcement to 1100 today even with the 30 to 100 houses being gutted by their crews each week.


2. 35 youth and sponsors from Alum Creek Church of Christ and Linworth United Methodist joined 300 other volunteers last week to gut 100 houses! The previous week a group of 18, mainly from New Life in Canal Winchester, had a very successful week as well. See Mark McGiffin’s pictures


3. Our next scheduled trip will leave GracePoint Community Church in Lewis Center North of Columbus on Saturday August 5. Ohio News Network’s Stephanie Mennecke, Amy Bacus, and camera crews will be covering our team’s work and recovery progress for their “Ohio Brings Hope” special ahead of the anniversary of Katrina as well as live feeds during the trip. As of today there are only 3 or 4 people on that team. So here’s the appeal. If you were on a list with 1100 other people to have your house cleaned out or lose it, how important would it be to you that someone come help clean out your house? Additional trips will be built as volunteers are interested in going.


4. To help build up those trips, Natalie Rickard, a 17 year old veteran of team 2 after Katrina and team 16 last week, is calling and visiting area church leaders in an effort to drum up support for more help. She felt so compelled by the work she saw last week that still needed done and the urgency of the deadline looming she had to do yet more than she has already. I personally find her passion very inspirational. You too can have a large impact just by forwarding this request for volunteers to your church email list and your friends. Maybe you can spend some time during the day promoting the effort personally to church leaders in your neighborhood. We’ve all been called to this work and know the powerful feeling of the Spirit working through us. Your help along with Natalie’s is essential to our effort helping storm victims and the growth of this organization to facilitate that help.

5. We also need to support a new effort cleaning up flood damaged homes along the New York, Pennsylvania border where the Delaware River flooded homes and businesses. I received an email from Megan of the University of Buffalo group (team 11) who lives in the area and has validated the need for help in her area.

The hosting church is near Binghamton New York and seeking volunteers to do the same work we’ve been doing in New Orleans. These trips can be much shorter term, however, and may be easier for more people to attend. No volunteers responded to the first request I sent last week and we sent no help this past weekend. An open invitation is out for weekend trips as long as the hosting organization needs volunteers. Recommended agenda is to leave Friday for the 8 hour trip, work Saturday and Sunday, and drive home Sunday night, or Monday. Please email me if you are interested.

Final word – This can be discouraging work when we ask for volunteers for a new effort and none are available or we get TV coverage and there isn’t a large response to fill out the team. Every time I question whether we are doing the right thing, though, bursts of affirmation like an unsolicited, encouraging email or Natalie’s enthusiasm for promoting the work relieves the doubt. I’m impatient. I see what we can do and would prefer to have it all set up at once. But… He has His own timing for this and if there’s ever a consistent lesson he has for me, its patience. I really look forward to seeing what He has in store for us and working with all of you in our efforts. Thanks for your servant’s hearts and support.

1 Peter 4:10, Mark 12:30-31, Mathew 9:36-38, Romans 12:4-8

John McGuire
www.ServantsUnite.org
614-523-3996 home
614-404-8610 cel

South IB trip featured inThisWeek Papers, Westerville Edition

The Westerville South IB team that went down in June was highlighted in the Westerville Life section of the Westerville Edition of ThisWeek Papers.

Team 15 Update

Sorry about not giving much in the way of updates. We have been very busy and doing lots of hard work. The first day we spent in a private school Lynn Oaks, grades Pre-K through 8, the only Christian school in the area. They have been wanting to get schools opened up. Without the schools it makes it hard for people to come back with their children.

Day 2 - was spent finishing a house that another group had started. There was one bedroom and bathroom that had not been de-mucked. It was 3-5 inches of dried muck, hard to break up. We had a young man with us that has been here since May, Rod. He was like a plow going through the house. He didn't wear a mask or goggles, not even gloves. We worked very hard and we managed to finish the house. We didn't get to meet the homeowners but we signed a Bible and left it for them. Afterward, Rod took us on a "little tour" through the southern part of the 9th ward, where the Levy broke. The devastation is unbelievable, including the numbers on some of the homes that were left, indicating the amount of bodies found.

Day 3 - we got a house in New Orleans. The home owner worked in the evidence dept with the N.O. Police Dept. Her father built the home and she had lived there all her life. Her father had passed away some time ago and her mother back in 1990. She rode out the storms (Katrina and Rita) at Police HQ. She had family members that ended up living in the attic of house during Katrina. This is a very close knit community. Her father had built many of the homes, and she had family members, Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, living on nearly every street. She described how the trees were bending during Katrina, like blades of grass in the wind. She was unable to return to her house for over a month due to the situations and all the water. "Who knew it would ever have been that bad." We stripped her entire house, walls, flooring tile, sinks, cupboards, doors. She said the water had risen to over 6 ft in the house. Mold growing everywhere. One of our crew found a shoe box full of pictures in the attic. She was ecstatic. They were the only pictures found with any of her family members in them. We even found some documents of recognition from the city of N.O. presented to her father for some work he had done for the community. She was very appreciative of all the work we were doing.

Someone had mentioned to the group that I made good sausage gravy. Thanks Becky!! :-) So I got up at 5:00 AM this morning to make gravy (for 100 people, I've never made such a large pot of gravy before in my life!), and we actually had REAL fried eggs this morning too. Two other guys in our group volunteered to flip eggs. A great breakfast, everything was homemade (except for the biscuits). Then someone mentioned that their husband made great chili (also from our group). All homemade meals today. Another group here made peach cobbler for desert to go with the chili tonight. I think someone may have gotten a picture or 2 of 3 guys making breakfast before we even had coffee! I bet that was some sight!

We have pictures of all the work we've been doing, but no card reader yet to get them uploaded. Will try and get them out to you as soon as I can.

--mark

Team 15 Out the Door

Running out of ways to announce departure's ;-)

Team 15, mainly made up of adults and teens from New Life in Canal Winchester plus Mark and Becky McGiffin of Spring Road left at 8:30 this morning!! They are 18 strong and were all really excited about the work that awaits them.
Fifteen teams and the 16th is ready to leave next Saturday morning. WOW! I'm so pleased the support continues to be there and we've been able to continue this operation past the original 4 trips and be planning for our next response. This is GOOD WORK and I'm thrilled and humbled to be working with you all on this.

To that end Melinda and I spent the first part of the week in Louisville at the North American Christian Convention. We didn't have as much interest in the booth as I expected, but managed to find attendees walking by with Ohio on their name badge and sent information with them for their missions/ministry staff. We also met some others who had been to work in Louisiana and found the same "life changing" experience is shared by others who have worked in other locations.

We also got to hang out with Janet, Gary, and Megan from Hilltop, meet Don Yelton from Whites Ferry Road for the "elevator" presentation on what we are building. We met Keith Wood and Rick Jett, Executive directory of IDES, a Christian Church international disaster relief organization that is starting up relief operations in the US in response to Katrina. We are investigating their DART project to see where we may fit in and so is Hilltop Rescue.

We will have a booth at the Westerville Christian grand opening (our building is now double it's size a year ago). Like we've done at Grace Point, we can set up a table at your church any Sunday or when you have a focus on missions and can speak to the congregation about our organization.

I wanted to pass along what I'm sure is a shared personal experience. Janet Hines and I were discussing being "under attack" Tuesday. There are times when you feel like all is pointless. All the mission work all the church work, effort put into kids and work, all the "good" we do seems to meet opposition. Sometimes even from the Christian brothers and sisters we expect to be our brothers in arms.

We know we have an enemy who attacks the work we do in God's name and we know how to defend against it (Ephesians 6:10-18). As much good as Janet has done since last September, she has faced more attack than most of us. She talked about being pushed to the point of frustration and going to a friend very angry about it. But by keeping the perspective that "we are not fighting flesh and blood, but spirits in the heavenly realms", using the whole armor, and praying for "all the saints", we can know that when others appear to attack us, they may not know they are being used and think they are doing good. We can defend against Satan's fiery arrows, and we can support and plead to God for one another's success working in his fields.

Take a moment now, before you forget, to pray for Servants Unite's leaders and volunteers; Janet, Tim, Brendan, Corkey, Megan, Gary, Bogden, and Savita at Hilltop; the people managing the ongoing effort at Tammany Oaks; Fred Frankey and the others at Carrollton Avenue, the thousands of volunteers, and the hundreds of thousands of storm victims who are struggling so hard to get their lives back together. Pray for strength, wisdom, energy, peace, and satisfaction in doing the Lord's work.

Thanks!

John McGuire
Servants Unite!

Potentially False Alarm and Other News

It appears that media coverage may have exaggerated the damage. Various contacts in Norwalk and Port Clinton indicate the generally expected amount of damage that occurs with any summer storm. Two people responded to the request for volunteers. We will not be sending a contingent up this weekend.

I do still encourage you to get out in your area for a few hours this weekend to help neighbors cut and stack storm debris for disposal. If you know of anyone who needs extra assistance or lacks tools (chainsaw) send a note back and I'll send the job opportunities out to this list tomorrow.

In other news, I met with Adam and Matt, the two youth ministers in Team 16 leaving Columbus on July 8. Much excitement there! They'll be happy with Nancy Michael (my dear mum-in-law) cooking. If you can help her that week, she can use it. Expectation is 350 volunteers at the school in Chalmette for that week. Contact me immediately if you are interested, but of course nobody is likely to be turned down at the last minute. An experienced team lead is still needed for this trip if you can take the time.

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to speak to Grace Point Church in Lewis Center about our organization. Several more members of that congregation are interested in the August 5 trip. That will be a good last opportunity before school starts if you'd like to join that team.

This week, Melinda and I will be in Louisville to exhibit at the North American Christian Convention We'll be drumming up more support from churches around Ohio, helping out our friends from Hilltop do the same, and encouraging others to start organizations like ours in their area.

Then, next weekend, July 1, Team 15 leaves early Saturday morning from New Life in Canal Winchester. Becky and Mark McGiffin from Spring Road will be escorting the New Life volunteers down. Gary and Sharon Kitchen have put together a total of 20 members of that team.

We'll keep you posted on any and all developments and be here when you feel the need to muck out a house or love on a new storm victim.

1 Peter 4:10, Mark 12:30-31, Mathew 9:36-38, Romans 12:4-8

John McGuire
www.ServantsUnite.org
614-523-3996 home
614-404-8610 cel

Westerville South IB Thoughts

Hi Brad and John,

As the time draws near for us to depart and I've had the better part of Sunday afternoon to reflect, I felt the need to give you a few of my thoughts. First and foremost thank you to Servants Unite for sponsoring our trip. It is an awesome thing that you are doing for the folks of New Orleans. I think that you have given our IB students something more than accumulating hours, you have given them a sense of what it is like to help those in need, and that is a debt that is only repaid through service to humanity.

I'm no stranger to hard work, but I have to say that this has been some of the hardest work that I have ever done, but what a sense of great satisfaction and the feeling that one person (or several together) can make a difference.

I was somewhat concerned that our students would not be up to the task, but in all honesty, they have been awesome. Have they complained some? YES! They have been tested and found worthy. We are very proud of all of them.

I have been so touched by the stories of the people that we have helped. It has reaffirmed that our God is an awesome God. All of these people seem to have such a strong hold on their belief even with all that they have been through. This has been such an uplifting trip for me that I just wish that I could commit more time, but home and family call me back.

Once again thank you for all you have done- "For whatever you have done for the least of them you have done for me."

God Bless,

Bill Kulju
International Baccalaureate CAS Coordinator
Westerville South High School

Thanks from Ms Ella

Just had to drop you a line and let you know how nice the ceilings look. They did a wonderful job. I didn't get to meet them in person, just on the phone. I had a awful cold which wound me in the hospital with pneumonia. Brian got to meet them and said they were very nice. Got home today and so glad to see how great things are looking. And gee just think it only took nine months. I'm making a joke but in actuality some people still haven't even started. I feel so sorry for so many people that are still having to live in trailers and even worse cars. Let's pray this never happens again. We have been helped by so many very nice people such as yourself. I know you realize we do appreciate everything y'all have done, but I don't think you understand just how much it means to know a total stranger has taken the time to give us their friendship. There's not a doubt in my mind God has sent you to us.

God Bless each and every one of you.
With warmest regards and sincere appreciation,
Ella Smith and Brian Barringer

Editor's Note: 3 weeks after Katrina, Ella returned home from Dallas to find her house in Slidell had been flooded 3 feet deep. She walked right back out and a Marine put his hand on her shoulder and asked what he could do to help. She and Brian had an hour or so to get what they wanted to keep from the house and the crew of Marines gutted it for her.

We met her at the Home Depot with a Penske truck, helped get all the things she needed and started putting her house back together in January. A few other volunteers through Hilltop have worked on it since then, but this week the Shiffbauer family from Westerville finished the last step, painting the ceiling on the day the air conditioning was first up and running. Ella and Brian are now home.

There are a lot of pictures of her house before and during our work linked from this blog entry and you can find more stories from team 7 at the archive of the blog from the week we were there in January.

Team 14 Friday Update

Not a lot new to tell. Hot and humid around 95 today. Sun bright and draining. The team split into two groups today and each completed a house. They were all very tired and exhausted when they returned.

Westerville can be very proud of their students. The Ohioans continue to make a name for themselves as good and hard workers down here. These kids are very mature and their leaders have stayed on focus and they are all getting a lot done. It will be interesting when there is more time to get their feedback. Not much talking going on tonight, the kids are tired and some of the groups went into NO for dinner.

Going to get a shower and get in bed for another big day tomorrow.

Brad

Team 14 First Day Report

Wow what a day. I literally got up at 3:15 and am just now sitting down for the first time at 9:15 other than eating dinner and the devo. And yet I am fine and ready for the morrow.

The team went out bright eyed and bushy tailed today with hopes of tackling great things. The team of 25 stayed together for their first day and will split up tomorrow. They returned around 3:30 dirty and tired with stories of all the gross things they saw and did.

Cleaning up mud and throwing peoples personal possessions in a trash pile. It seems that no matter who we are or where we come from that is the single thing that always stands out, the throwing out of things that were once near and dear to us.




Imagine if you will if God had said “go give away all you have and I will bring you peace....... Would we not debate argue or negotiate with God? Yet this disaster strikes and makes them all as filthy rags and here we are helping people to the curb with all their worldly possessions.

Tomorrow holds much promise. The kids from WSHS did such a great job today that the neighbor to the house they did came in and asked Hilltop for them to come do hers. I doubt that will happen but she was so impressed with how hard they worked, the quality of the work, and their attitudes that she followed them back here. Great job to the kids who are hear working so hard.

Well I need some sleep up at 3 again to cook. Good night and may God bless each of you.

Brad Hayes
Servants Unite

Team 14 Starts Work

Well the trip was long but we made it in one day. 15 hours of driving and let me be the first to salute the Westerville South kids on making their trips count and making them quick. It really helped to make the trip go faster and we were coming into New Orleans across Lake Ponchatrain just as the sun was beginning to set. It was quite a contrast to enjoy the beauty of the bright orange and red sun across the water when only a few feet away were still piles of garbage wreckage and distruction.

I have not been down since October but much is still the same as you come into the city. It appears that many of the major areas, the highways, tourist areas etc have had extensive work but as you come into St Bernard Parish there is still an awe of the massive destruction that occurred.

The group at Hilltop was over 200 last night when we arrived with 99 leaving today and over 100 more due in today. Just finished breakfast and clean up in time for the crew to prepare for their first day in the field. I will do my best to keep you all updated but have to tell you the pace hasn't slowed here if anything it has quickened.

Brad Hayes
Servants Unite

Team 14 Departs

A team of 27 from Westerville South IB led by Brad Hayes left at 5:40 this morning from South's parking lot. There was an unbelievable amount of energy from this crew for that early in the morning.

If you look close you'll see a couple familiar faces. Ross from Spring Road Church of Christ youth group is on his 3rd trip! Also Whitney Hayes is making a return run. Very inspiring!

They'll be driving straight through to Chalmette today, working through Tuesday, and returning home on Wednesday. Please pray for their safety, success, and thank God for the ministry oppurtunities this work provides. And keep watching the blog this week for Brad's updates.

John McGuire
Servants Unite!

Recent Pictures from New Orleans

I had the pleasure of spending the weekend of May 20-21 with the Hilltop leadership in Chalmette. Plans are in progress and solidifying for setting up the next relief operation in the next disaster area. Hilltop will be scouting and opening a basecamp when the times comes and organizations like Servants Unite will be sending in volunteers and supplies.

You can see all my best pics from that trip here

More volunteers and church families are needed to provide resources for the next relief operation as well as continuing our work in New Orleans. We need to be working now to collect water, non-perishable food, baby kit, personal care kit, and cleaning kit components. We need volunteers to serve the following roles immediately:

• Set up a collection of supplies at your church or business and staff it.
• Talk to your church missions group and leadership about making Servants Unite a supported organization of your church.
• Be a liason between your church family and Servants Unite. Primarily that's a communications channel.
• Continue to volunteer to work in New Orleans.
• Volunteer to be a first responder for the next disaster.
  

Several have done this recently! Thanks to Tegan who works with Team 7s Corey Bradenback. She organized the collection of a pickup load of cleaning kits at IntelliRisk. Girl Scout Troop #1721 purchased and donated several cases of cookies to send down. The ag science students at Ohio State collected food, bed linens, and $400 worth of Home Depot gift certificates. There are other groups presently collecting cleaning kit supplies. We also have a couple generous individual donors who I want to thank especially as they have allowed us to pay the expenses of groups going down to work. One generous soul bought us a trailer to use today! Which he will be using to haul all that stuff down next week ;-)

This is VERY inspiring work! I see the Spirit at work in everything you do!

A new pressure has surfaced that demands increased volunteer support of the effort in New Orleans. The St. Bernard Parish government, where we do most of our work, has given homeowners a date of August 29 to be started cleaning out their houses. The "or else" hasn't been announced yet, but there are hundreds of work orders not fulfilled waiting for us at the school and Tammany Oaks. If you can put together a summer mission trip the host organizations are very eager to get work done before the end of August to help homeowners meet that deadline.

Several Trips are set and ready to join:

1. We have a team of Westerville south IB students heading to Louisiana next Wednesday, June 7, returning on the 14th.
2. The next scheduled trip is New Life, Canal Winchester who will be going led by Mark and Becky (Team 3) on July 1.
3. July 8th, Alum Creek CofC and Linworth UMC youth groups are going together. We need an experienced volunteer to lead that trip (be a guide).
4. There is a trip scheduled for July 16 which is to be a Westerville Christian father son trip, but others are welcome to go along.
5. August 5, Grace Point church is sponsoring a mission trip. I'll be presenting to that congregation June 18th.
   

If you are scheduled on a summer trip, be prepared to be a first responder if a new disaster strikes. We will work with our partners to send in help as soon as it is safe.

I have some numbers and metrics to report on the Hilltop effort who we've been partnering with all spring. From January through April, that effort spent $81,000 feeding and organizing volunteers; aproximately 1600 of them. The cost of $50 per volunteer per week is reflected in their new request for a donation of $10 per day per volunteer to help cover expenses. Outside fundraising would help eleviate the need for this expense, but preperations for the next disaster take capital too. Servants Unite is considering whether to pay this donation for our volunteers, but needs to increase fundraising

That is a good investment. That $81,000 allowed the volunteers to clean out over 400 houses! That's around $200 per house. With $100,000 left, the end of August would be the end of the effort without more capital flowing in.

I hope this news finds you all well and ask you to pray for this effort and help corporeally where you can. Thanks for making Servants Unite grow and shine!

John McGuire
Servants Unite