Title: El Nino Struck an ELCA Seminary
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

May 15, 1998

EL NINO STRUCK AN ELCA SEMINARY
98-17-110-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- El Nino's strong winds and heavy rains caused a
major mud slide at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley,
Calif.  One of eight seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America, PLTS will need to raise $250,000 to repair the damage sustained on
campus.
     The winter mud slide took out the east side of the hill along the
roadway that travels through the seminary's campus.  Students worked to
sandbag and cover the hillside to save the entire roadway.  "If the roadway
deteriorates, then the buildings above it are in danger," said Liz Meyer,
PLTS business manager.
     Founder's Hall, which houses the office of PLTS President Timothy F.
Lull, sustained significant damage when a three-foot diameter section of a
Monterey Pine split off and crashed through the roof and walls.  Repairs
are being made to the roof, walls and floor, in addition to replacing the
carpet and furnishings.
     The seminary's off-campus apartments located in Berkeley Flats, an
area at the bottom of the Berkeley hills, also required emergency action in
order to prevent flooding in a number of apartments.  Heavy rains have
caused flooding in four apartments.  An emergency drainage system and five
large sump pumps were installed to prevent water from doing major damage to
the ground floor apartments.
     PLTS has established the El Nino Campus Repair Fund for donations to
cover the cost of the damage.  The damage to the president's office is
covered by insurance.
     "Throughout its almost fifty year history PLTS has had to depend on
its friends, congregations and synods of the ELCA for annual support and
help in times of opportunity or disaster," said Lull.  "We have not been
able to accumulate the resources that allow a school to make extensive
repairs for something like the El Nino damage."
     PLTS is also actively pursuing state and federal disaster funds for
which it might be eligible.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html