The Disaster Response of the First Presbyterian Church of Salem, Oregon

 

 

kindly excuse and ignore my company's information on this page...I cannot delete it without affecting the rest of our web site. Please visit our team's blog at http://salemkatrina.blogspot.com/ where you can see our daily postings and photos, and leave your own comments to us.

 

CURRENT AS OF 28 October 2005. Our volunteer disaster team is scheduled to work at Gautier, Mississippi under the banner of the PDA, between November 7 and November 21. Most of the team is flying into nearby Gulfport, MS., with two folks driving a motor home, mini-van and the church trailer with work equipment and donations, departing Salem October 30 following commissioning services. The Swansons will meet the team in Gautier from their vacation in Georgia, bringing their own motor home. Team members also include Ed, Karen, Morella, David, and Rick.

 

We've placed various documents here to help volunteers and folks interested in our effort. Click on the item you want and download. For more information, please contact Associate Pastor Karen Pollan at http://salemfirstpres.org/  You can also phone the church at (503) 363-9234. If you're led to donate towards our disaster response budget of $8500 which covers fuel, generator fuel, water, ice, food and work materials, please call Karen, and send a check marked "First Presbyterian Hurricane Relief."  to the church address below. Wes got drafted (sorry, "volunteered" in Presbyterian-speak) to help get the effort organized. Donated items can be delivered to Karen at the church (see our list of needed materials below) and we need financial help! We have recently received a donation from McMinnville's Willamette Valley Medical Center...about a thousand bears, the results of their "Bear Hugs" program, plus $100 in cash. Thanks, folks!

 

Our volunteers are mostly unskilled with just three or four great folks who actually do know what they're doing around a construction site, but we're all ready to work hard. Those flying into Gulfport have a ticket expense of $400, and most have also donated up to $500 each towards our budget. Your help on this will reduce their out-of-pocket expenses and let us do more work. Our church's Missions Committee pledged $2000 towards our $8500 budget, plus we've had a contribution from McMinnville's First Presbyterian Church and others are considering helping us as well. Many, many thanks! On Friday October 13 we got more wonderful news from First Presbyterian Church of Newberg...a member and their deacons have together offered $650 towards our team's expenses. The Willamette Valley Medical Center provided a collection of stuffed animals and much-needed medical items to help us establish a first aid station in Gautier...thanks, folks! In McMinnville, Jim Doran Dodge and Les Schwab Tire went over the Dodge minivan we're driving to the Gulf to make sure we travel trouble-free. UHaul has given a large discount on our trailer rental and Linda at the Salem Kinko's gave a 50% discount on printing our vehicle signs. Home Depot in Salem discounted a huge purchase of team equipment, as did 5 Sports in McMinnville.

 

I visited First Presbyterian in McMinnville and First Presbyterian in Newberg a couple weeks back to tell them of our program and ask for their support unless they were sending their own volunteer teams. Can I suggest that each team member...any member of the church in fact, contact other churches, associations and companies to ask for whatever support they feel led to offer? If other churches aren't sending volunteers, perhaps they can consider "joining" our team by helping sponsor us.

 

Team Members Travel Plans: We now have everyone's travel arrangements. Weston wrote today that he won't be able to participate due to his other volunteer obligations but he is getting us a couple propane stoves. Ed sent news today that he's flying in a bit early, on November 5. Karen mentioned she expects to fly also (working with us between the 14th and the 18th), as is Morella. Morella is working with the team between her trips around the world to mysterious places...we're glad she's on board and we're grateful for the table saw she donated.

 

Notes to those team members flying into Gulfport. The airport is only 37 miles from our worksite. We are also near Keesler Air Force Base for those of you with military backgrounds who wish to use their facilities. Tickets appear to be in the $300-325 range, but some have gotten group rates out of Portland for only $250! Please coordinate with each other for getting to the Portland airport. We expect to pick up everyone at the Gulfport airport the evening of November 6, and also take you back for your return flights to Oregon around 10:00 on the 21st of November. If you have different arrangements we can probably work them out together. We can take your tools and personal items with the road crew which leaves Salem October 30, so please have all items packed into something like a soft duffel bag so we can load the trailer October 29. Also, kindly have your name and contents on a label for the bag. If we end up with more cargo expected than the church trailer can handle we'll rent a UHaul 6x12' unit, safer anyway for the independent brakes and we won't have to return it to Salem.

 

Gautier Worksite Information: Today we learned that the site remains very primitive. The church has run just a couple 110v power lines into the volunteer's tent area, and the only internet access is via Verizon Broadband. We will have to prepare our own meals, which I'd expected us to do...no problem there. There is cell phone reception in the area. Work assignments are facilitated by a church elder familiar with the area and local folks' needs. I did hear from the local folks that they recommend bringing a quality respirator, sturdy boots and plenty of clothes...most of the workers there now just work through their clothes, throw them away and start on a new set because laundry is such a problem. There is a local Lowe's Supercenter for any construction materials we'll need. We have sent $500 towards camp expenses in advance of our arrival as they try to get power and other arrangements improved.

 

Our Food Preparation: We have two good kitchens because of the two motor homes which will be there. Joan obtained cooking materials, ice chests, disposable paper supplies, etc, and it is our intention to prepare a group breakfast each day plus offer cold cereal, etc., for those who prefer. We'll either prepare sack lunches or deliver to our team at the work site, and then fix up a hot dinner after work. We should do pretty well on our budget...maybe even have steaks now and then. Gotta feed the workers!!! Grits...get used to the idea! We will bring in about one week of food and then resupply out of Keesler Air Force Base as necessary. The tent city "mayor" has told me that with enough advance notice they can get meals brought out by the Red Cross, and that we might be able to help other teams which cannot easily fix their own meals.

 

Everyone: Please don't forget your tetanus shots and you should be able to find places to get your flu shots also. We will establish a volunteer village first aid station in the motor home and provide an aid kit for the worksite. Please make sure you complete the items on the checklist. Local temperatures for the first week in November average 72º during the day and 52 overnight. It has been known to rain...lots. Sorta like Oregon plus warmer with 'skeeters, snakes, grits 'n gaters! And don't discuss the Civil War there...they're not referring to our football game but instead to the "War of Northern Aggression". And they're still mighty ticked off!

 

Other local efforts: looks like we have teams joining our effort from George Fox University and Newberg high schools over Christmas, and we'll be their "chuck wagon" and base camp plus provide airport transportation and some tools. The folks at First Presbyterian Church of Newberg are working this.

 

No!! I'm not this old geezer. I'm another old geezer! Great beard, though.

 

Documents you can download:

 

  Katrina...our church's PowerPoint briefing on the team's efforts

  Volunteer...our (your???) sign-up question sheet. Join us now!!!

  Presbyterian Disaster...lists team & individual items needed to deploy

  Mississippi...letter of thanks from the people of Mississippi. Quite moving!

  Medical...our team members' medical information & permission slip

 

 

 

Items we're still looking for as of October 18:

A. Trailer, dual axle, covered - or we spend $280 to rent at U-Haul

B. High pressure gas-powered water washer - very useful!

C. Large lawn/garden cart for moving trash from construction site - vital

D. Igloo water jugs (like you see on utility trucks...about 5 gal) - have one

E. Diesel and gas 5 gallon fuel containers. Must seal perfectly!!!

F. Hard hats...work site helmets for our crew

G. Hand & Power tools which we can use, then donate to local residents

H. Gas or diesel generator have 2, more not needed unless to be donated

I. Money...it sure helps do the job! We have $7100 of $8500 budget as of 10/27

J. Dual burner propane camp stove - have 2, 1 more useful if available

K. Propane camp lanterns with spare mantels, propane - have one

L. Wheelbarrows - we need a couple!

M. Folding ladders - we need a couple, have one now

N. Dry wall installation gear - stilts, tape, etc.

O. Washer/Dryer stacked unit to leave at Gautier Presbyterian

P. Gift cards for Home Depot, Lowe's...use for our materials

Q. Respirators & spare filters; knee pads; safety glasses - Wes purchased

R. Sick room equipment such as wheelchairs, commodes

 

 

The First Presbyterian Church of Salem

770 Chemeketa St. NE
Salem, OR 97301-3894

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