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Lutherans Continue Cleanup In Nebraska


From NEWS@ELCA.ORG
Date Thu, 10 Jun 2004 09:36:33 -0500

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

June 10, 2004

Lutherans Continue Cleanup In Nebraska
04-119-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Disaster Response, a ministry of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), continues to organize recovery work in
Nebraska after a series of tornadoes and hail storms struck the state May
22-23.
     Dana College, Blair, Neb., sustained more than $1 million worth of
damage after baseball-size hail struck six of the college's buildings May
22.  That day the college celebrated commencement for the Class of 2004.
There were no injuries.  Dana is one of 28 colleges and universities of
the ELCA.
     Lutherans and others continue to clear debris on farms, homes and
communities in eastern Nebraska, reported Linda Janssen Gjere, director
for communication, ELCA Nebraska Synod, Omaha.	Nebraska Lutheran Disaster
Response and congregations in the state have pulled together to organize
volunteers for recovery work and distribute food and materials.  They're
"ready to serve neighbors and friends to recover from storm damage," she
said.
     Some Lutherans from Omaha volunteered to clean up debris in rural
areas, reported Gjere.	She said they had a "'difficult time finding a way
to express the emotional impact of seeing the destruction, and how it
affected people not only negatively but positively.'"  The volunteers said
that they "became more aware of how everything earthly can be taken away
from us in a moment by an act of nature.  We also marveled at how many
good people there are who all found some way to help."
     Gjere said members of the ELCA Nebraska Synod also volunteered to
clear up fields, donate quilts, provide and serve meals and snacks for
volunteers.
     The Rev. Gilbert B. Furst, director for Lutheran Disaster Response,
said members of the church "can offer prayers of support, volunteer for
clean up and repairs and contribute money, which enables the church to
respond at once and makes it possible to offer help and hope for the long
haul."
_ _ _
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 news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news


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