wfn.org | Snow Storm Challenges Nebraska Churches

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (426
notes).

Note 420 by UMNS on Oct. 31, 1997 at 15:58 Eastern (3983 characters).

CONTACT:	Ralph E. Baker						  608(10-71B){420}
		Nashville, Tenn.  (615) 742-5470			Oct. 31. 1997

EDITORS NOTE: Photos available.

Early autumn snow storm calls
Nebraska churches to action

by Deanna Armstrong*

	LINCOLN, Neb. (UMNS) -- As nearly a quarter million people throughout
Nebraska were left without power by an unseasonable, late October snowstorm,
some United Methodist Churches became shelters for the displaced, others were
a source of food and some suffered damage from the crushing weight of 13 to 24
inches of snow or the water that followed.
	Among the American Red Cross shelters set up for people displaced by the
storm were Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln and St. Paul’s United
Methodist Church in Omaha.  Church members provided volunteer support.
	With restaurants, grocery stores and distribution points as affected as
individual homes, people scurried to find safe food.  In some instances
grocery stores were giving away frozen food to any one with power who could
use it before it spoiled.  
Pearl Street United Methodist Church, without power for more than a week, had
to dispose of roughly $1,000 worth of food from its food pantry.  They may not
have anything to distribute when the electricity comes back on, said church
officials.  The Nebraska Annual Conference has agreed to provide disaster
funds to replenish their supply.
Schools in Lincoln and Omaha were closed for the week.  As of Thursday
following the weekend storm, First United Methodist Church, Omaha, was still
without electricity.  Other churches suffered power outages and minor damage
from falling limbs.
The Omaha District office lost the roof of the building.  First snow, then
water poured through as the snow melted, damaging computers and other
electrical equipment.  
Damage reports from other areas are slow to come in, as telephone lines are
still down many places.
Conference disaster relief coordinator Sharon Stevens is attempting to assess
the damage across the state and organize a volunteer clean-up effort.  "There
is still a lot of clean-up to be done, she said.  "We are primarily concerned
about the elderly and low income areas." 
Stevens said there was an immediate need for ice and ice chests to store food
until the electricity is restored.  The long-term need will be for supplies to
replenish food pantries and assistance with clean-up.  She reported the
conference is in conversation with the United Methodist Committee on Relief
(UMCOR) and the churchwide Board of Global Ministries about coordinating
Volunteers in Mission teams to help clean up.
The Rev. Dick Turner, executive director of ministries, said, "We are trying
to assess the damages and find the best use of our conference resources to
help people get back into their homes."
South Central, Lincoln and Omaha Districts were hardest hit by the storm. 
Sarah Simmons, church and community worker in Omaha, said clean-up was
progressing slowly, and any volunteers would be appreciated. 
People needing help from the conference or wishing to volunteer help should
contact Turner at (800) 435-6107.
The storm wreaked so much havoc because it came so early in the season, in the
midst of a mild fall –- there had been no killing frost.  The sap was still
high in the trees and leaves were at the peak of their autumn color.  Three
days of rain before the high winds and cold snap left the already-heavy trees
even more saturated.  Most could not stand the weight of so much snow on top
of the rain.
John Fech, Omaha horticulturist, said three quarters of the trees in the city
of Omaha would have to be removed.  Steve Schwab, Lincoln city arborist, said
he thought there wasn’t a tree in the city that had not been affected.  He
said, next spring the city would have a completely different landscape as a
result of the storm.
#  #  #

	* Armstrong is interim director of communications for the Nebraska United
Methodist Annual Conference.

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