Holston Conference will continue to send aid to flood-stricken areas in middle Tennessee this week by dispatching three more response teams and collecting "cleaning buckets" assembled by churches.
In addition, members are encouraged to give financially to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), which is overseeing the denomination's response to damage caused by storms over the April 30-May 2 weekend. As of Friday, May 14, Holston members had already given $12,155 to UMCOR flood relief, according to the conference treasurer's office.
United Methodist Men in each of Holston's 12 district are organizing collection of "cleaning buckets" to send to middle Tennessee and also to replenish UMCOR supplies. Each five-gallon bucket contains items such as work gloves, bleach, scouring pads, and trash bags. Immediately after the floods, churches were asked by Bishop James Swanson to begin assembling buckets and wait for collection instructions.
United Methodist Men will work with district offices to collect buckets and deliver them to Cokesbury United Methodist Church in Knoxville by Saturday, May 22, according to Jim Fetzer, Holston disaster response coordinator.
After sending three specially trained Early Response Teams to Carthage, Tenn., in the past week, Holston has been asked by UMCOR and Volunteers in Mission to send three more teams to Nashville, Fetzer said.
"Our teams will begin leaving Sunday afternoon, May 23, from Cokesbury United Methodist Church," Fetzer said. "All ERT trained members are needed now."
What to do
- ERT members who can work in Nashville next week should call Nancy Hobbs at (276) 708-6110.
- Get the "cleaning bucket" list, then contact your district office for collection information.
- Give to UMCOR by writing a check to your local church with "Tennessee floods #901670" on the memo line. You may also give online.