CONCORDIA HELPS VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA
The catastrophic consequences of Hurricane Katrina have touched the Concordia University Wisconsin community. Many of our faculty, staff, and students at our New Orleans center are in great need. The rest of our Concordia community is encouraged to come to their aid with financial support.
How can you help? Various ways are listed below:
- Checks can be made out to the Concordia University Wisconsin Foundation (note in the memo line “Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund”). These can be dropped off in the Advancement, Business, or President’s offices. Envelopes, in which to place your gift, will be available through those same offices (as well as being sent to the other CUW Centers).
- LCMS is also responding to this catastrophe as well. If you prefer, donations may also be given through Lutheran World Relief/Human Care. http://www.lcms.org/
As we have been provided “One Blessing after Another,” may God use our gifts to also be a blessing to one another.
MONIES RAISED BY CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY WISCONSIN
As of Monday, September 12 , $6,758 has been raised. We continue to receive donations for the relief effort.
Students have also helped by assembling Refugee Kits as promoted by the SWD LWML. As of September 15, at least 70 kits have been assembled for babies, children, men and women.
We continue to thank God for the blessings we have received so that we may pass them along to others in need.
PHILLIP REPORTS FROM LOUISIANA
Thomas Phillip, CUW's Vice President for Information Technology, and members of his family spent the week of September 4, 2005 in Louisiana, helping people recover from Hurricane Katrina.
Tom and his family arrived at Trinity Lutheran Church, Baton Rouge, LA, about 2:00 a.m. to a rousing welcome. (Although their visit had been pre-authorized by the congregation and doors had been left unlocked for them, it seems no one remembered to turn off the fire alarm!)
Much of Saturday was spent in chain sawing 30-40 trees that had fallen on the property of Zion Lutheran church in Bogalusa, LA. Tom described the general appearance of the area as what he would expect to find in the wake of a tornado. He took the opportunity to practice a bit of chain saw wood sculpture and left standing a wood cross as a memento.
On Saturday evening they moved their camper to Covington from Baton Rouge because of the availability of electricity, air conditioning (it's been in the sunny 90's every day), and greater security. Tom and family worked with Holy Trinity's Director of Christian Education, Rich Gutekunst, in setting up a process for distributing a large trailer of food which had been delivered there.
They also delivered some food to the Slidell, LA, area. In Slidell they encountered a filling station where all 16 pumps had been blown over and were lying on their sides.
Instructions through FEMA were then for them to connect with some refuge camps being set up in the area. They found people in a trailer camp there to be so very appreciative for the food being delivered. They also encountered a good sense of community among the people as they were directed to an 80-year old woman isolated in a trailer which had had a tree dropped into the dining area. On Monday they sent a crew to help this woman and 5 others in the trailer court.
Additional supplies were arriving Monday in Covington. 30 brand new chain saws through LCMS World Relief. A truckload of wheelbarrows though Orphan Grain Train. At this point they decided to warehouse the goods and distribute them to authorized work groups. A similar limitation was put on food supplies; each family was allowed one box of food. At that, a 53' trailer of food was gone in 1 1/2 days. Only 15 boxes of oyster crackers and 1 case of sauerkraut was left. Subsequently, 4 or 5 more truckloads of food and supplies arrived.
Among supplies most needed: anything for babies (food, diapers, baby wipes); feminine hygiene products.
On Wednesday, work was also done at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Covington, LA, where Tom had a chance encounter with Dr. Gerald Kieschnick, Synod President, who was surveying damage and LCMS World Relief efforts in the area. Here the effort was to set up a distribution point for food and water.
In the larger picture, Tom reports that people have generally been calm, responsive, and grateful. No issues with class or race. Gasoline is not overpriced, but is scarce--lines are long, long, long, up to 2 miles, with people pushing their cars forward, rather than burning gasoline while idling. When supplies run out, people may just leave their cars in line until the next delivery is made to the station.
Their work has been received with much gratitude; CUW's name is getting well know and appreciated in the areas where they've been--both in churches and communities.
MORE PICTURES:
Just click on any of the links below to view the picture listed:
Church in Bogalusa before cleanup
A grateful family in Slidell receiving supplies
Food relief arrives at a trailer in Slidell
Bogalusa Church after the cleanup
