ELCA NEWS SERVICE
August 31, 2007
Lutherans Participate in Tornado Cleanup Efforts in Northwood, N.D.
07-149-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A church building of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and a Lutheran-affiliated
health service center in Northwood, N.D., sustained major damage
from a tornado that swept through the town Aug. 26. Preliminary
damage assessments carried out by the American Red Cross
indicated that more than 90 percent of the homes in Northwood
sustained damage, according to Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR).
LDR is a collaborative ministry of the ELCA and Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod. Northwood, a community of about 1,100
residents, is located southwest of Grand Forks, N.D.
Northwood Lutheran Church, a congregation of the ELCA,
sustained major roof damage, according to Joan Buchhop, LDR in
North Dakota, Grand Forks. "Cleanup and repair will take place
in the upper level of the church. The goal this week is to make
the basement of the church available for worship," she said.
Staff of LDR in North Dakota started volunteer coordination.
"We're assessing which homes need interior repair and cleaning,
and connecting volunteers with homeowners," said Buchhop. The
next step will involve case management to determine the resource
needs of people, she said.
"On Monday I walked around town and heard there were 345
truck loads of trees and debris collected. On Tuesday I was able
to drive around town and heard that 1,000 truck loads of debris
had been collected," said Buchhop.
Many businesses, the local hospital and a school have all
sustained damage, according to Bonnie Turner, Fargo, N.D., LDR
coordinator and president of the North Dakota Voluntary
Organizations Active in Disaster. "Primary power lines in town
are down, leaving the town dependent on generator power for the
time being," she reported.
Buchhop and Turner are assisting other disaster response
organizations in performing initial damage assessments and in
establishing a volunteer reception center, said the Rev. Kevin A.
Massey, assistant director, ELCA Domestic Disaster Response.
"The first volunteers were scheduled to begin cleanup work"
Aug. 29, he said.
Northwood Deaconess Health Center, a Lutheran-affiliated
health care and aging services center, experienced damage to the
roof and windows, reported Massey. "All residents and staff in
the center were safe, thanks to tornado drills," he said.
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Volunteer information is available at
http://www.ldr.org/volunteer on the Internet.
DOMESTIC DISASTERS:
Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds to aid
survivors of major disasters inside the United States, Puerto
Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please include:
ELCA Domestic Disaster Response, P.O. Box 71764, Chicago,
Illinois 60694-1764
Credit card gift line: 1-800-638-3522
Credit card gifts via Internet: http://www.ELCA.org/disaster
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
