wfn.org | CRWRC Cleans Up after Sunday Storms Rip through West Michigan

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

> Immediate Release

Beth DeGraff, CRWRC media contact, 616-648-7821

> Glen Geurink, DRS crew leader, 616-403-1248

CRWRC Cleans Up after Sunday Storms Rip through West Michigan

August 12, 2009?Chainsaw crews left CRWRC?s Disaster Response offices
in Byron Center, Michigan, this morning ready to do clean-up and tree
removal after storms devastated the West Michigan lakeshore Sunday
night and closed roads to the town of Fruitport on Monday. Inquiries
by Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (www.crwrc.org) staff to
the denomination?s churches in Fruitport and the surrounding area
revealed that congregation members were not seriously affected by the storm.

Sunday evening?s weather event downed trees, cut off electricity, and
damaged homes and cars. One young father was killed in the
destruction. Residents from the Grand Haven lakeshore to Kent City and
Sparta were continuing to get their lives back in order this morning.
In all, more than 140,000 are reported to have been without power as a
result of winds of as high as 75 mph.

CRWRC-DRS sent scouts into the area early on Tuesday to assess damage.
Township officials who requested assistance yesterday received help
first thing this morning, joining nearly the half-dozen tree clearing
companies that worked to get roads reopened early this week. CRWRC-DRS
work crews will continue to clean-up debris throughout the week and
re-assess the need for further work teams at that time.

Members of the media wishing to interview DRS Crew Leader Glen Geurink
on site in Fruitport, call cell 616-403-1248. CRWRC media contact Beth
DeGraff is available at cell 616-648-7821.

For more information about these programs, visit www.crwrc.org,
www.greenshirts.org, or call 1-800-55-CRWRC.

CRWRC is a non-profit agency of the Christian Reformed Church in North  America

ministering in development, relief, and justice education

with people in need in 30 countries around the world since 1963.

> # # #

> -- Beth DeGraff
> CRWRC Media and Justice Contact
> 2850 Kalamazoo Avenue SE
> Grand Rapids, MI 49560-0600
> 1-800-55-CRWRC
> www.crwrc.org

Note that my email address has changed to bdegraff@crwrc.org.

CRWRC is a registered non-profit agency of the CRC-NA in both the U.S.
and Canada.