If you can work any of the next several Saturday's, please contact Deb directly
We will be in need of some extra volunteers the next several Saturdays to help supplement some of our current builds, beginning Saturday, June 16 from 8:30am-4:00pm. Site and activity will vary depending on need. We will schedule people on a first come first serve basis as space permits. No prior skills required, leadership provided.
Volunteers need to wear comfortable clothing that they don’t mind getting dirty. Volunteers must wear hard-soled shoes (work boots preferred) or tennis shoes. Absolutely no sandals or open toed/open heeled shoes allowed on site. Bring a water bottle and lunch. Hats and sunscreen are always a great addition to your work day.
If you have your own tools (i.e. hammer, pencil tape measure, nail apron/tool belt, utility knife, and speed square), please bring them, but label and keep track of tools. If you do not have your own tools, tools will be available on site.
Please let me know if you are available and interested in helping out, and I can send you more information.
Thanks!
Deb Light
Volunteer Director
Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus
3140 Westerville Rd
Columbus, OH 43224
Office 614-364-7020 (direct line)
Cell: 614-332-9192
Fax: 614-414-0432
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Monday, June 11, 2007
Servants Unite Update
This article is written about the woman who has become the head harvester for Christ in Bayou La Batre. She has devoted what may be the rest of her life to rebuilding this community to soften hearts and win souls. She is under heavy spiritual attack, on her health, her ministry, her spirit, and her faith, though none have wavered. Please pray for Daphne, the work she and we are doing there, and the new Christians who are joining the flock almost daily that they may be disciples and have a true and active faith and relationship with our Savior.
Servants Unite is sending half the volunteers who are scheduled to work in Bayou La Batre during the Hilltop summer work camp. The goals for those 6 weeks of work is to perform reconstruction for 20 families that will utilize $50,000 worth of building supplies. We will be effective without extra funding to cover building materials, but not nearly as productive resolving the worst needs such as roofs, drywall, plumbing, and electrical work that is required for people to inhabit safe homes.
This cost is not usually the burden of this organization and Hilltop has taken it on for this project. But, if you or your church can make a special donation just for building materials for our trip July 7-July 15, please contact me immediately at my cell phone, or email address published on the blog.
Other weeks have availability through the end of July and two teams are scheduled into New Orleans after the Hilltop camp closes. You can still participate in any of them by contacting me as well.
If you are available the week of August 1st, we need help breaking down the Hilltop camp in Bayou La Batre for storage. We will drive down and probably spend the week packing it up and transporting it to an as-yet-to-be-named location to wait for the next response.
I will be speaking at GracePoint church in Lewis Center (northern burb of Columbus) Sunday June 17 on Servants Unite and missions. If you are a member, I hope to see you Sunday and if not, I encourage any to visit that day to share the story of your mission experience in disaster relief at the Servants Unite booth. Please let me know if I should expect you.
John McGuire
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
BLB camp setup Wednesday update
Here are todays pictures
I'm heading home in the morning, but Corky, Rick, and Chrissy are continuing the remaining camp setup. We've learned a lot about setting up the first response camp. We have the design and parts together after many trips to Lowes and Marshall Marine. Consensus among us is that we need approximately 10 people to set the camp up and I'm looking for good volunteers to be those first responders. This will require a lot of lifting and long days in not so ideal conditions after we roll it all in behind the next storm. Let me know if you are interested.
The water is on tonight! Actually it was on this afternoon, but we had a couple (8) leaks that required a little glue and some clamps. The sewer hookup is running too so we have running water, showers, sink in the kitchen tent, porta potties, a dumpster and tents to sleep in. There are cots to sleep on and tables and chairs for the common tent. There are grills to cook on and we have the ice maker, but not plumbed yet.
Two more tents remain to be erected. Frankly, the 4 of us who were here all week are just flat sick of lacing tent sections together and being out in the sun to do it. Setup really requires more people to make it work. More cots must be retrieved from Slidel tomorrow. The walkins are coming a day or two later than planned. The 35000 KW propane generator will be in tomorrow as well as there is no word back from the electric company. Hopefully that'll still come through. Keep praying!
Also pray for hearts to be touched through the work here this summer, for the staff to come and holdup under the heat and rigor of running the camp, and for safe travels for all, including me driving home 13 hours tomorrow ;-)
Satellite Internet with wireless access will be up and running in the camp for volunteers and staff next Friday.
I'm heading home in the morning, but Corky, Rick, and Chrissy are continuing the remaining camp setup. We've learned a lot about setting up the first response camp. We have the design and parts together after many trips to Lowes and Marshall Marine. Consensus among us is that we need approximately 10 people to set the camp up and I'm looking for good volunteers to be those first responders. This will require a lot of lifting and long days in not so ideal conditions after we roll it all in behind the next storm. Let me know if you are interested.
The water is on tonight! Actually it was on this afternoon, but we had a couple (8) leaks that required a little glue and some clamps. The sewer hookup is running too so we have running water, showers, sink in the kitchen tent, porta potties, a dumpster and tents to sleep in. There are cots to sleep on and tables and chairs for the common tent. There are grills to cook on and we have the ice maker, but not plumbed yet.
Two more tents remain to be erected. Frankly, the 4 of us who were here all week are just flat sick of lacing tent sections together and being out in the sun to do it. Setup really requires more people to make it work. More cots must be retrieved from Slidel tomorrow. The walkins are coming a day or two later than planned. The 35000 KW propane generator will be in tomorrow as well as there is no word back from the electric company. Hopefully that'll still come through. Keep praying!
Also pray for hearts to be touched through the work here this summer, for the staff to come and holdup under the heat and rigor of running the camp, and for safe travels for all, including me driving home 13 hours tomorrow ;-)
Satellite Internet with wireless access will be up and running in the camp for volunteers and staff next Friday.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Tuesday Setting Up the Hilltop Camp
Bayou La Batre is HOT in the summer. I heard back home in Columbus it'll be down to 40 tonight, but it's still in the 80s here at 11:00 central. Made working slow during the afternoon when the predicted rain didn't come. I'll take wet yesterday working to hot today.
We still got a lot more done today. Here's the pictures I took. The kitchen tent is up and mostly stocked with the Hilltop and Bayou Recovery Project stuff. We tapped into the park water supply and ran the line through a short trench and back to the camp. Half the plumbing in the camp (water and sewer) are done and will be completed tomorrow. Another sleeping tent went up and another framed. Walk-in freezer and fridge arrive tomorrow and hopefully large propane generators.
Pray for a link to the power grid for the camp. That'll be a lot cheaper and more convenient than the generators, but is nearly the last piece of the puzzle to fall into place.
The first volunteers arrive tomorrow! A couple groups wanted to come work with Bayou Recovery before the Hilltop camp opened, officially and by the weekend there will be 80 volunteers in camp!
No conversions today, like Sunday and Monday, but I had a great conversation with a seeker last night. Please pray for those to happen too and that they would have ears to hear.
I'll try to put up an update tomorrow before heading for home, but may be pressed for time and put it off a day. Keep checking though, as lots of things are happening fast and this is the easiest way to keep you all up to date.
May God bless you and your families as you consider service with Servants Unite, or any other effort.
John McGuire
We still got a lot more done today. Here's the pictures I took. The kitchen tent is up and mostly stocked with the Hilltop and Bayou Recovery Project stuff. We tapped into the park water supply and ran the line through a short trench and back to the camp. Half the plumbing in the camp (water and sewer) are done and will be completed tomorrow. Another sleeping tent went up and another framed. Walk-in freezer and fridge arrive tomorrow and hopefully large propane generators.
Pray for a link to the power grid for the camp. That'll be a lot cheaper and more convenient than the generators, but is nearly the last piece of the puzzle to fall into place.
The first volunteers arrive tomorrow! A couple groups wanted to come work with Bayou Recovery before the Hilltop camp opened, officially and by the weekend there will be 80 volunteers in camp!
No conversions today, like Sunday and Monday, but I had a great conversation with a seeker last night. Please pray for those to happen too and that they would have ears to hear.
I'll try to put up an update tomorrow before heading for home, but may be pressed for time and put it off a day. Keep checking though, as lots of things are happening fast and this is the easiest way to keep you all up to date.
May God bless you and your families as you consider service with Servants Unite, or any other effort.
John McGuire
Hilltop Camp Setup - Monday
Here are the pictures from today
Mostly this is self explanatory. The tents were finally delivered and they are GREAT! We got to play soldier of God all day setting up camp. We also got final approval for the water line to the camp from the park. Tomorrow Tim Hines is bringing the walk-in refrigerator and freezer from New Orleans and Crossroads is loaning us their large propane generators for power though we are still pursuing a local utility connection.
The first tent took 8 of us 4 hours to set up and it still needs to be "fixed". The second took a little more than 2. The third which is the common tent/dining hall, almost twice as big took 4 of us about an hour and a half. While we are sore, we are getting much better at assembly! This will take quite a while to pack out for an evacuation, but should be doable and something we can put back together at a new site in a couple days depending on the number of people helping.
This site is so great, right on the water with a great breeze blowing all day. If you've been trying to decide whether to come, please do. You will be very blessed to be here working with the people here. There are volunteers scheduled every week, but space is still available for all weeks except July 7-15 when 126 people are scheduled from Servants Unite already. There is also space in Chalmette and New Orleans with IRC and Crossroads throughout the summer to go stay there and work where so much is still needed.
Keep praying for our success and obstacles to be removed from our path.
Mostly this is self explanatory. The tents were finally delivered and they are GREAT! We got to play soldier of God all day setting up camp. We also got final approval for the water line to the camp from the park. Tomorrow Tim Hines is bringing the walk-in refrigerator and freezer from New Orleans and Crossroads is loaning us their large propane generators for power though we are still pursuing a local utility connection.
The first tent took 8 of us 4 hours to set up and it still needs to be "fixed". The second took a little more than 2. The third which is the common tent/dining hall, almost twice as big took 4 of us about an hour and a half. While we are sore, we are getting much better at assembly! This will take quite a while to pack out for an evacuation, but should be doable and something we can put back together at a new site in a couple days depending on the number of people helping.
This site is so great, right on the water with a great breeze blowing all day. If you've been trying to decide whether to come, please do. You will be very blessed to be here working with the people here. There are volunteers scheduled every week, but space is still available for all weeks except July 7-15 when 126 people are scheduled from Servants Unite already. There is also space in Chalmette and New Orleans with IRC and Crossroads throughout the summer to go stay there and work where so much is still needed.
Keep praying for our success and obstacles to be removed from our path.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Hilltop Camp Setup - Sunday Report
Here's the pictures from today.
I am not a plumber... but I'll be putting all the pipe together for drains from the shower trailers and campers in the morning. Had an enormous amount of quality time with Corky at Lowes picking through bins for the PVC parts we needed for drain and water supply lines.
Our tents that were to be delivered between 8:30 and 9:00 via semi this morning weren't. Thought that specific a time for delivery of anything must be too precise to be realistic. Shoot, the cable guy can't say which day of the week he'll actually show up. Anyway, the truck broke down in South Carolina. The part isn't available till tomorrow, but they should still be delivered tomorrow they say.
The pressure is on. We're still awaiting the final approval of the water, cooperation from the satellite Internet service company (I'm getting certified to be an installer so we can have mobile Internet), and working to get a power supply to the camp other than generators... noisy generators. The first team is actually going to be in June 7 now.
Correction (and a reminder on how fast things change). At 9:30pm I got a call from Corky that the truck driver is at our exit and wants to know if we can unload him... He's getting a hotel till 9:00 tomorrow so it looks like we'll be putting up tents all day and I get to drive home Tuesday!
We had church with the Texans and local congregation who for the first time met in the fellowship hall of the new building! Carol and Royce Ogle from Whites Ferry Road were there with their associate minister who gave the lesson (after Royce led singing). One of Daphne's 11 year old protégés, Devon, came forward with her grandma to be baptized at the end of service. We all went out to the park where the camp is with her and she was baptized in the ocean... The Lord is alive and working diligently here and in these people! Prayer's are requested against the opposition who is working hard to the contrary.
Robert Madchen will be here with us tomorrow to set up the tents and get the camp finished and I'll get more pics out then.
Check back tomorrow!
I am not a plumber... but I'll be putting all the pipe together for drains from the shower trailers and campers in the morning. Had an enormous amount of quality time with Corky at Lowes picking through bins for the PVC parts we needed for drain and water supply lines.
Our tents that were to be delivered between 8:30 and 9:00 via semi this morning weren't. Thought that specific a time for delivery of anything must be too precise to be realistic. Shoot, the cable guy can't say which day of the week he'll actually show up. Anyway, the truck broke down in South Carolina. The part isn't available till tomorrow, but they should still be delivered tomorrow they say.
The pressure is on. We're still awaiting the final approval of the water, cooperation from the satellite Internet service company (I'm getting certified to be an installer so we can have mobile Internet), and working to get a power supply to the camp other than generators... noisy generators. The first team is actually going to be in June 7 now.
Correction (and a reminder on how fast things change). At 9:30pm I got a call from Corky that the truck driver is at our exit and wants to know if we can unload him... He's getting a hotel till 9:00 tomorrow so it looks like we'll be putting up tents all day and I get to drive home Tuesday!
We had church with the Texans and local congregation who for the first time met in the fellowship hall of the new building! Carol and Royce Ogle from Whites Ferry Road were there with their associate minister who gave the lesson (after Royce led singing). One of Daphne's 11 year old protégés, Devon, came forward with her grandma to be baptized at the end of service. We all went out to the park where the camp is with her and she was baptized in the ocean... The Lord is alive and working diligently here and in these people! Prayer's are requested against the opposition who is working hard to the contrary.
Robert Madchen will be here with us tomorrow to set up the tents and get the camp finished and I'll get more pics out then.
Check back tomorrow!
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Hilltop Camp Setup - Saturday Report
Things are really moving down here. A complete set of the pictures I took today are here.
Chrissy joined Corky and I last night and Rick White flew in this afternoon.
You'll find pictures of the first few pieces of equipment we moved over from Slidel today - Chrissy's grill and camper, the red shower trailer built this winter, two vans and a trailer. We also set up Corky's trailer on the site and moved the BBC shower trailer over from Sweet Bethel church where the camp was supposed to originally reside.
A crew from Texas spent their 2nd day working on the fellowship hall at the new church building. They have drywall up and mudded and have expanded the size of the kitchen adding a nice pass through. We'll be there for church in the morning so more pictures of that tomorrow.
We joined them and some church members for Mr. Rosevelt's "trash in da pot" and great conversation among all.
The last couple of shots are after we got generators up and running at the camp and the sun was for practical purposes gone for the evening. The bugs were horrible without bug spray, but not a problem with.
And so ends the first night of the Hilltop Bayou La Batre camp.
Pray for the power issues to be resolved. Hopefully we can get lines run in rather than depending on generators for the length of the camp. While we want to be prepared with generators and a power management plan for first response, it isn't the most practical in this environment where full services are available.
More people are signing up for more trips into August! The response from volunteers wishing to be hands and feet and from the recipients of our help continue to bless my life and reafirm we are doing His will and working in His kingdom.
Thank you for all you do! Check back for more updates tomorrow.
John McGuire
Tomorrow morning the tents come in
Chrissy joined Corky and I last night and Rick White flew in this afternoon.
You'll find pictures of the first few pieces of equipment we moved over from Slidel today - Chrissy's grill and camper, the red shower trailer built this winter, two vans and a trailer. We also set up Corky's trailer on the site and moved the BBC shower trailer over from Sweet Bethel church where the camp was supposed to originally reside.
A crew from Texas spent their 2nd day working on the fellowship hall at the new church building. They have drywall up and mudded and have expanded the size of the kitchen adding a nice pass through. We'll be there for church in the morning so more pictures of that tomorrow.
We joined them and some church members for Mr. Rosevelt's "trash in da pot" and great conversation among all.
The last couple of shots are after we got generators up and running at the camp and the sun was for practical purposes gone for the evening. The bugs were horrible without bug spray, but not a problem with.
And so ends the first night of the Hilltop Bayou La Batre camp.Pray for the power issues to be resolved. Hopefully we can get lines run in rather than depending on generators for the length of the camp. While we want to be prepared with generators and a power management plan for first response, it isn't the most practical in this environment where full services are available.
More people are signing up for more trips into August! The response from volunteers wishing to be hands and feet and from the recipients of our help continue to bless my life and reafirm we are doing His will and working in His kingdom.
Thank you for all you do! Check back for more updates tomorrow.
John McGuire
Tomorrow morning the tents come in
Friday, June 01, 2007
Today in Bayou La Batre
Even though Tropical Storm Barry is heading for Tampa (my friend Barry Raymond must be so proud :-) to start off the hurricane season, the weather was beautiful in Bayou La Batre today. I'll be a certified Wild Blue satellite Internet installer before we are through... I've been working on setting up the unit from the Machen's in Slidell here and for our next response.
Corky and I spent much of the day shopping for parts and staking out the locations of trailers and tents in the park we are inhabiting for a couple months this summer. The pics of the work on the new church building and the location for the camp are here.
Check back for more updates tomorrow!
Corky and I spent much of the day shopping for parts and staking out the locations of trailers and tents in the park we are inhabiting for a couple months this summer. The pics of the work on the new church building and the location for the camp are here.
Check back for more updates tomorrow!
Hurricane Season Starts
And to celebrate, I'm in Bayou La Batre setting up camp for the summer with Hilltop, testing our disaster response plan, and getting some red cross training. I'll get you pictures and more information later today on the blog.
We have 126 people presently scheduled from Ohio to work in Bayou La Batre the week of July 7-15! That's 26 over capacity, but we'll find room for everyone. Other weeks between June 15 and July 27 are still open if you want to come join in. We'll also be scheduling trips into August and beyond.
June 8, North Canton Church of Christ will be in Chalmette working as will Linworth UMC the week of July 27. Each team numbers approximately 30.
The first day of the season with two storms named so far, one in the Atlantic and one in the Pacific, plus the much larger response we have this summer make me wonder what God has in store for us. Teams scheduled during season are our first responders if a new storm comes in. Once a hosting organization has a camp set up, the area is safe, and there is work to do on the ground, we'll redirect our scheduled teams and other first response crew into the area.
Thanks for your servant hearts and spirit as this effort continues and we prepare for the next one.
John McGuire
We have 126 people presently scheduled from Ohio to work in Bayou La Batre the week of July 7-15! That's 26 over capacity, but we'll find room for everyone. Other weeks between June 15 and July 27 are still open if you want to come join in. We'll also be scheduling trips into August and beyond.
June 8, North Canton Church of Christ will be in Chalmette working as will Linworth UMC the week of July 27. Each team numbers approximately 30.
The first day of the season with two storms named so far, one in the Atlantic and one in the Pacific, plus the much larger response we have this summer make me wonder what God has in store for us. Teams scheduled during season are our first responders if a new storm comes in. Once a hosting organization has a camp set up, the area is safe, and there is work to do on the ground, we'll redirect our scheduled teams and other first response crew into the area.
Thanks for your servant hearts and spirit as this effort continues and we prepare for the next one.
John McGuire
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Habitat Opportunity for Saturday 6/2
We need 5 volunteers (on a first come basis) this Saturday, June 2nd on a construction site.
Volunteers assist us in mainly framing 2nd floor walls on Saturday from 8:30am to 4:00pm. No prior skills required, leadership provided.
Volunteers need to wear comfortable clothing that they don’t mind getting dirty. Volunteers must wear hard-soled shoes (work boots preferred) or tennis shoes. Absolutely no sandals or open toed/open heeled shoes allowed on site. Bring a water bottle and lunch. Hats and sunscreen are always a great addition to your work day.
If you have your own tools (i.e. hammer, pencil tape measure, nail apron/tool belt, utility knife, and speed square), please bring them, but label and keep track of tools. If you do not have your own tools, tools will be available on site.
If you are available and interested, please email me for details.
Thanks for all you do!
Deb Light
Volunteer Director
Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus
3140 Westerville Rd
Columbus, OH 43224
Office 614-364-7020 (direct line)
Cell: 614-332-9192
Fax: 614-414-0432
Volunteers assist us in mainly framing 2nd floor walls on Saturday from 8:30am to 4:00pm. No prior skills required, leadership provided.
Volunteers need to wear comfortable clothing that they don’t mind getting dirty. Volunteers must wear hard-soled shoes (work boots preferred) or tennis shoes. Absolutely no sandals or open toed/open heeled shoes allowed on site. Bring a water bottle and lunch. Hats and sunscreen are always a great addition to your work day.
If you have your own tools (i.e. hammer, pencil tape measure, nail apron/tool belt, utility knife, and speed square), please bring them, but label and keep track of tools. If you do not have your own tools, tools will be available on site.
If you are available and interested, please email me for details.
Thanks for all you do!
Deb Light
Volunteer Director
Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus
3140 Westerville Rd
Columbus, OH 43224
Office 614-364-7020 (direct line)
Cell: 614-332-9192
Fax: 614-414-0432
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Hilltop Newsletter for May 2007
The current Hilltop Rescue newsletter is posted here
From June White of Hilltop Rescue:
Dear Friends,
So much has been happening since we sent out our last newsletter. Sadly, we had to close down our facility in Chalmette in order to turn the school building back over to the parish. We saw the hand of God moving throughout our time in Chalmette and are very thankful that we were able to serve there.
But as the old saying goes, the more things change the more they stay the same. We have spent the last few months working on how to make Hilltop Rescue a mobile organization capable of responding to a disaster in any area. This has brought us back around to where we started. We will be setting up a tent camp for volunteers in Bayou La Batre, Alabama this summer, and Corky will be running the camp. Working under the direction of the Bayou Recovery Project, we will be doing a wide variety of work and are very excited about the opportunities we will have to help there. Read about it in the attached newsletter, and please be in touch if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
June White
Director of Communications
www.hilltoprescue.org
From June White of Hilltop Rescue:
Dear Friends,
So much has been happening since we sent out our last newsletter. Sadly, we had to close down our facility in Chalmette in order to turn the school building back over to the parish. We saw the hand of God moving throughout our time in Chalmette and are very thankful that we were able to serve there.
But as the old saying goes, the more things change the more they stay the same. We have spent the last few months working on how to make Hilltop Rescue a mobile organization capable of responding to a disaster in any area. This has brought us back around to where we started. We will be setting up a tent camp for volunteers in Bayou La Batre, Alabama this summer, and Corky will be running the camp. Working under the direction of the Bayou Recovery Project, we will be doing a wide variety of work and are very excited about the opportunities we will have to help there. Read about it in the attached newsletter, and please be in touch if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
June White
Director of Communications
www.hilltoprescue.org
Friday, May 18, 2007
Summer Planning
Couple events to pass along to you all. I'm writing from Slidel, Louisiana at the Madchen's where we are planning on the summer camp with Hilltop and Bayou Recovery Project. We visited Bayou La Batre again today, had great food, and great fellowship with Miss Daphne and Billy.
This is the site where we are setting up tents to host volunteers from June 15-July 30.
We also ran across several of the Marquette students who the Buffalo group and I worked with in March. They came right back down after finals. Josiah, swimming barefoot cut his foot up on oysters and is hobbling around unhappy. Working relief injured isn't nearly as much fun.
Remember our friends the love bugs from right after Katrina? They come out in May too!
Thursday night was a parent's meeting for the Westerville South IB and Central group. We had a good information session and questions and answers. This team along with Sunbury United Methodist, South Dayton Church of Christ, and New Life Canal Winchester make up a team of over 100 from Ohio working at the camp July 7-15. This week is closed, but others will be available as we go forward and there is interest.
Keep posted for info on Kansas. I may be taking a team the Tuesday after Memorial Day. May not though. Most of the word back is that there really is nothing to rebuild/clean up. Still monitoring though and I'll keep you all posted.
Please pray for those afflicted in Kansas, the gulf coast, and this fallen world. Also pray for a productive Hilltop meeting, strengthened relationships, and the funding we need to pull off all the work we have before us this summer.
John McGuire
This is the site where we are setting up tents to host volunteers from June 15-July 30.
We also ran across several of the Marquette students who the Buffalo group and I worked with in March. They came right back down after finals. Josiah, swimming barefoot cut his foot up on oysters and is hobbling around unhappy. Working relief injured isn't nearly as much fun.
Remember our friends the love bugs from right after Katrina? They come out in May too!
Thursday night was a parent's meeting for the Westerville South IB and Central group. We had a good information session and questions and answers. This team along with Sunbury United Methodist, South Dayton Church of Christ, and New Life Canal Winchester make up a team of over 100 from Ohio working at the camp July 7-15. This week is closed, but others will be available as we go forward and there is interest.
Keep posted for info on Kansas. I may be taking a team the Tuesday after Memorial Day. May not though. Most of the word back is that there really is nothing to rebuild/clean up. Still monitoring though and I'll keep you all posted.
Please pray for those afflicted in Kansas, the gulf coast, and this fallen world. Also pray for a productive Hilltop meeting, strengthened relationships, and the funding we need to pull off all the work we have before us this summer.
John McGuire
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Habitat Opportunity for Saturday 5/19
We need 6 volunteers (on a first come basis) this Saturday, May 19th on a construction site.
Volunteers assist us in building/installing the sub floor and deck on Saturday from 8:30am to 4:00pm. No prior skills required, leadership provided.
Volunteers need to wear comfortable clothing that they don’t mind getting dirty. Volunteers must wear hard-soled shoes (work boots preferred) or tennis shoes. Absolutely no sandals or open toed/open heeled shoes allowed on site. Bring a lunch and a water bottle. Hats and sunscreen are always a great addition to your work day.
Tools will be provided, but volunteers are welcome to bring their own tools if preferred. Please label and keep track of tools.
If you are available and interested, please email me for details.
Thanks for all you do!
Deb Light
Volunteer Director
Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus
3140 Westerville Rd
Columbus, OH 43224
Office 614-364-7020 (direct line)
Cell: 614-332-9192
Fax: 614-414-0432
Check out our NEW online registration system on our website: www.habitat-columbus.org for upcoming Volunteer Opportunities. Check often!
Volunteers assist us in building/installing the sub floor and deck on Saturday from 8:30am to 4:00pm. No prior skills required, leadership provided.
Volunteers need to wear comfortable clothing that they don’t mind getting dirty. Volunteers must wear hard-soled shoes (work boots preferred) or tennis shoes. Absolutely no sandals or open toed/open heeled shoes allowed on site. Bring a lunch and a water bottle. Hats and sunscreen are always a great addition to your work day.
Tools will be provided, but volunteers are welcome to bring their own tools if preferred. Please label and keep track of tools.
If you are available and interested, please email me for details.
Thanks for all you do!
Deb Light
Volunteer Director
Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus
3140 Westerville Rd
Columbus, OH 43224
Office 614-364-7020 (direct line)
Cell: 614-332-9192
Fax: 614-414-0432
Check out our NEW online registration system on our website: www.habitat-columbus.org for upcoming Volunteer Opportunities. Check often!
Friday, May 11, 2007
Greensburg Kansas - Before and After
Weather Channel has a video segment with satellite images of the town before and after here
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Kansas Update
I'm sure you've all been watching the news stories like this one. Greensburg Kansas is pretty much wiped out. I had the pleasure (in serving the Lord) today to help get a 30 foot trailer and supplies ready to roll out. This would have been impossible without Tim Shivers (Team 7) of New Life in Gahanna loaning out his new Diesel GMC 2500.
Thanks Tim!
Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team is ran by Laura and Mark Cremeans. They are from Ohio originally, but are relocating to a new base of operations in Gainsville Florida. After 10 years of part time first response when Hurricane Charlie came through, they sold their construction business and went full time. This trailer will join a kitchen trailer, shower trailer, RV, and tool trailer that will all be on-site between tomorrow and the weekend. They'll let us know about volunteer requirements over the next week. If you are feeling called to go help, be making some very tentative plans and I'll get the word out if I'm taking a team out. We may well be joining them in the next couple of weeks.
Whites Ferry Road will also be in Greensburg this weekend. Note the referenced appeal letter from Carol Ogle. We are not in competition, but are partner's in God's work in disaster relief. Servants Unite is a faith based operation, but not affiliated with any particular church. Church of Christ partners are who we have worked with for Katrina relief. If you know of other church organizations working in Kansas, please pass along the info.
We're all looking at fundraising and preparation for the upcoming spring storm and hurricane season. Servants Unite as well is down to a couple thousand dollars. We'll need approximately $10,000 to cover expenses for our teams through the end of July, though they are paying a lot of their own way. A very large response for a new hurricane causing the sort of damage Charlie, Ivan, Katrina, or Rita did will call for a $30,000 immediate outlay to cover shipping, transportation, and supplies.
This money may be pledged by churches for such a response or donated outright, but I need to start getting an accounting of what we can count on when the next emergency strikes.
Keep all those working in relief in your prayers as well as those who have lost so much in these disasters. Please pray they will see Christ in our work and seek him and be closer to him in their lives.
John McGuire
Thanks Tim!
Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team is ran by Laura and Mark Cremeans. They are from Ohio originally, but are relocating to a new base of operations in Gainsville Florida. After 10 years of part time first response when Hurricane Charlie came through, they sold their construction business and went full time. This trailer will join a kitchen trailer, shower trailer, RV, and tool trailer that will all be on-site between tomorrow and the weekend. They'll let us know about volunteer requirements over the next week. If you are feeling called to go help, be making some very tentative plans and I'll get the word out if I'm taking a team out. We may well be joining them in the next couple of weeks.
Whites Ferry Road will also be in Greensburg this weekend. Note the referenced appeal letter from Carol Ogle. We are not in competition, but are partner's in God's work in disaster relief. Servants Unite is a faith based operation, but not affiliated with any particular church. Church of Christ partners are who we have worked with for Katrina relief. If you know of other church organizations working in Kansas, please pass along the info.
We're all looking at fundraising and preparation for the upcoming spring storm and hurricane season. Servants Unite as well is down to a couple thousand dollars. We'll need approximately $10,000 to cover expenses for our teams through the end of July, though they are paying a lot of their own way. A very large response for a new hurricane causing the sort of damage Charlie, Ivan, Katrina, or Rita did will call for a $30,000 immediate outlay to cover shipping, transportation, and supplies.
This money may be pledged by churches for such a response or donated outright, but I need to start getting an accounting of what we can count on when the next emergency strikes.
Keep all those working in relief in your prayers as well as those who have lost so much in these disasters. Please pray they will see Christ in our work and seek him and be closer to him in their lives.
John McGuire
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Habitat Opportunity for Saturday 5/5
We need a couple extra volunteers this Saturday, May 5th on a construction site.
We need 5 volunteers (on a first come basis) to assist us in building some first floor walls on Saturday from 8:30am to 4:00pm. No prior skills required, leadership provided.
Volunteers need to wear comfortable clothing that they don’t mind getting dirty. Volunteers must wear hard-soled shoes (work boots preferred) or tennis shoes. Absolutely no sandals or open toed/open heeled shoes allowed on site. Bring a lunch and a water bottle. Hats and sunscreen are always a great addition to your work day.
Tools will be provided, but volunteers are welcome to bring their own tools if preferred. Please label and keep track of tools.
If you are available and interested, please email me for details.
Thanks for all you do!
Deb Light
Volunteer Director
Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus
Office 614-364-7020
We need 5 volunteers (on a first come basis) to assist us in building some first floor walls on Saturday from 8:30am to 4:00pm. No prior skills required, leadership provided.
Volunteers need to wear comfortable clothing that they don’t mind getting dirty. Volunteers must wear hard-soled shoes (work boots preferred) or tennis shoes. Absolutely no sandals or open toed/open heeled shoes allowed on site. Bring a lunch and a water bottle. Hats and sunscreen are always a great addition to your work day.
Tools will be provided, but volunteers are welcome to bring their own tools if preferred. Please label and keep track of tools.
If you are available and interested, please email me for details.
Thanks for all you do!
Deb Light
Volunteer Director
Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus
Office 614-364-7020
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Ever wonder about the fruits of your labors?
Whites Ferry Road Church of Christ in Monroe Louisiana has sponsored a disaster relief effort for 25 years. They have provided most of the funding for Billy and Daphne's Bayou Recovery Project in Bayou La Batre where we spent some time this spring. Last week during a focused spiritual "revival" in town a lot of prayers came to fruition.
Please read Carol Ogle's report for the details.
Please read Carol Ogle's report for the details.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Servants Unite Update
Topics for this update:
The next ServeFest will be in October. We’ll have more rehab work lined up in Franklinton as we establish a supporting relationship with Lower Lights Ministry out of Bellows Avenue Nazarene and Rebuilding Together, Central Ohio, a local rehab charity. These organizations are much like Hilltop and Tammany Oaks’ relief ministry in scope and organization. Just the kind of effort we can support through volunteer hours.
I am looking for churches who are willing to donate their parking lots for a Friday and Saturday, volunteers, and $5,000 in expenses or any part of that to build a house to send into New Orleans. We can frame out walls and sheathing here in a Saturday and pack it on a truck to have the lot available for Sunday morning services. This is in cooperation with Crossroads Missions through Help Build Hope http://www.crossroadsmissions.com/helpbuildhope/. Construction of the houses will be completed in New Orleans Central City. It’d be really kewl to have a local crew start this here this summer and send a team to work with Crossroads in the fall to put them together to get the end to end.
I’m having a difficult time scheduling meetings with church leadership to plan our next response and formalize Servants Unite’s relationship. Your assistance in facilitating these meetings is going to be fundamental. It is urgent we determine what resources and locations are available for relief supply collection and packaging as well as finances to send in volunteers for our next response. We use frightfully little money in this mission, but reserves which have never exceeded $14,000 are nearing $0 and the funding for the organization is another issue I need to address. Priorities are involvement in current Katrina relief and local efforts, prep for next response, and funding in that order.
For Spring Break trips, we sent 101 man weeks of Labor to Bayou La Batre, Alabama and Chalmette (New Orleans) Louisiana. The cost of van rentals, gas, and board with our hosting organizations cost our organization approximately $8,000 plus the contributions of some of the teams I estimate around $7,000 more. I wish I could give you an inventory of the people we’ve helped, the spiritual growth among volunteers who are believers and those that aren’t, the new friendships that have formed between people from all over the country… but it’s an immeasurable quantity. Unfortunately, even blogging hasn’t been nearly adequate. Amazing people do this work. People who attract other people to them. Fishers of men. You’re all to be commended and I am so thankful to be blessed by working shoulder to shoulder with the majority of these volunteers this spring.
Summer is going to be bigger! Here are the trips presently scheduled:
6/8/07 North Canton Church of Christ 27 volunteers
7/3/07 New Life Church, Canal Winchester 15 volunteers
7/7/07 Westerville Schools 50 volunteers
Sunbury United Methodist 40 volunteers
South Dayton Church of Christ 10 volunteers
7/27/07 Linworth United Methodist 30 volunteers
?? Norway Avenue Church of Christ (Huntington, WV)
Teams from June 15 through July will go to Bayou La Batre, pending any new disasters that require our response. Teams before that camp and after will be working in Chalmette (New Orleans). Add your group to one of these, or pick your own date. There’s plenty of work left to do!
I will be focusing on getting everyone where they are going for these trips, setting up local mission opportunities, and continuing to grow the organization to more churches. You can help with that and in all we do. Even full time I need a lot of volunteers to help manage all these activities. Please get back to me with your interest and availability!
Servants Unite!
John McGuire
- Spring ServeFest
- Other Local Missions
- Prep for Next Response
- Spring Break Wrapup
- Summer Schedule
The next ServeFest will be in October. We’ll have more rehab work lined up in Franklinton as we establish a supporting relationship with Lower Lights Ministry out of Bellows Avenue Nazarene and Rebuilding Together, Central Ohio, a local rehab charity. These organizations are much like Hilltop and Tammany Oaks’ relief ministry in scope and organization. Just the kind of effort we can support through volunteer hours.
I am looking for churches who are willing to donate their parking lots for a Friday and Saturday, volunteers, and $5,000 in expenses or any part of that to build a house to send into New Orleans. We can frame out walls and sheathing here in a Saturday and pack it on a truck to have the lot available for Sunday morning services. This is in cooperation with Crossroads Missions through Help Build Hope http://www.crossroadsmissions.com/helpbuildhope/. Construction of the houses will be completed in New Orleans Central City. It’d be really kewl to have a local crew start this here this summer and send a team to work with Crossroads in the fall to put them together to get the end to end.
I’m having a difficult time scheduling meetings with church leadership to plan our next response and formalize Servants Unite’s relationship. Your assistance in facilitating these meetings is going to be fundamental. It is urgent we determine what resources and locations are available for relief supply collection and packaging as well as finances to send in volunteers for our next response. We use frightfully little money in this mission, but reserves which have never exceeded $14,000 are nearing $0 and the funding for the organization is another issue I need to address. Priorities are involvement in current Katrina relief and local efforts, prep for next response, and funding in that order.
For Spring Break trips, we sent 101 man weeks of Labor to Bayou La Batre, Alabama and Chalmette (New Orleans) Louisiana. The cost of van rentals, gas, and board with our hosting organizations cost our organization approximately $8,000 plus the contributions of some of the teams I estimate around $7,000 more. I wish I could give you an inventory of the people we’ve helped, the spiritual growth among volunteers who are believers and those that aren’t, the new friendships that have formed between people from all over the country… but it’s an immeasurable quantity. Unfortunately, even blogging hasn’t been nearly adequate. Amazing people do this work. People who attract other people to them. Fishers of men. You’re all to be commended and I am so thankful to be blessed by working shoulder to shoulder with the majority of these volunteers this spring.
Summer is going to be bigger! Here are the trips presently scheduled:
6/8/07 North Canton Church of Christ 27 volunteers
7/3/07 New Life Church, Canal Winchester 15 volunteers
7/7/07 Westerville Schools 50 volunteers
Sunbury United Methodist 40 volunteers
South Dayton Church of Christ 10 volunteers
7/27/07 Linworth United Methodist 30 volunteers
?? Norway Avenue Church of Christ (Huntington, WV)
Teams from June 15 through July will go to Bayou La Batre, pending any new disasters that require our response. Teams before that camp and after will be working in Chalmette (New Orleans). Add your group to one of these, or pick your own date. There’s plenty of work left to do!
I will be focusing on getting everyone where they are going for these trips, setting up local mission opportunities, and continuing to grow the organization to more churches. You can help with that and in all we do. Even full time I need a lot of volunteers to help manage all these activities. Please get back to me with your interest and availability!
Servants Unite!
John McGuire
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Habitat Opportunity for Saturday 4/21
We have a construction volunteer opportunity that just came up for this Saturday, April 21st.
We need 6 volunteers (on a first come basis) to assist us in putting on the subfloor/decking on one of our foundations on Saturday from 8:30am to 4:00pm. No prior skills required, leadership provided.
Volunteers need to wear comfortable clothing that they don’t mind getting dirty. Volunteers must wear hard-soled shoes (work boots preferred) or tennis shoes. Absolutely no sandals or open toed/open heeled shoes allowed on site. Bring a lunch and a water bottle. Hats and sunscreen are always a great addition to your work day.
Tools will be provided, but volunteers are welcome to bring their own tools if preferred. Please label and keep track of tools.
If you are available and interested, please email me for details.
Thanks for all you do!
Deb
Deb Light
Volunteer Director
Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus
3140 Westerville Rd
Columbus, OH 43224
Office 614-364-7020 (direct line)
Cell: 614-332-9192
Fax: 614-414-0432
Check out our NEW online registration system on our website: www.habitat-columbus.org for upcoming Volunteer Opportunities. Check often!
We need 6 volunteers (on a first come basis) to assist us in putting on the subfloor/decking on one of our foundations on Saturday from 8:30am to 4:00pm. No prior skills required, leadership provided.
Volunteers need to wear comfortable clothing that they don’t mind getting dirty. Volunteers must wear hard-soled shoes (work boots preferred) or tennis shoes. Absolutely no sandals or open toed/open heeled shoes allowed on site. Bring a lunch and a water bottle. Hats and sunscreen are always a great addition to your work day.
Tools will be provided, but volunteers are welcome to bring their own tools if preferred. Please label and keep track of tools.
If you are available and interested, please email me for details.
Thanks for all you do!
Deb
Deb Light
Volunteer Director
Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus
3140 Westerville Rd
Columbus, OH 43224
Office 614-364-7020 (direct line)
Cell: 614-332-9192
Fax: 614-414-0432
Check out our NEW online registration system on our website: www.habitat-columbus.org for upcoming Volunteer Opportunities. Check often!
We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make, which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee. -Marion Wright Edelman
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Team 24 picture galleries are available!
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