Bishop Laura Merrill and members of the cabinet toured areas of Rogers earlier this week and witnessed first-hand some of the devastation from the estimated 13 tornadoes that swept through Northwest Arkansas on May 26, killing 10 people.
Sheri Mathews and Roy Lee, ARUMC Volunteers in Mission and Disaster Response coordinators, updated the Conference and Districts this week with the following information:
- Multi-Agency Resource Centers have been operating out of Decatur, Rogers, Yellville, and Mountain Home this week. Our ARUMC coordinators and volunteers have represented us well.
- There have been 631 volunteer hours of chainsaw work recorded from ARUMC Disaster Response volunteers who have directly supported 33 families in Bentonville.
- Disaster Response teams have distributed hygiene kits, period packs, and cleaning kits in the communities of Rogers, Bentonville, Centerton, Yellville, and Decatur.
- Kevin Overholt, VIM/DR volunteer, led a chainsaw safety certification class that enlisted six new certified volunteers. Another class is planned soon.
- The Arkansas Conference received a $10,000 grant from UMCOR to help with immediate needs like feeding and lodging for volunteers, supplies, and immediate assistance for survivors with items such as utilities, temporary living arrangements, spiritual care, and clean-up.
- There will be a Basic Emergency Response Training in the Central District on August 3. More information will be announced soon.
The Arkansas Conference also received a gift of $25,000 from the Tennessee Western Kentucky Conference of the UMC.
Bishop Bill McAlilly, Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference (TWKUMC) shared, “We understand the challenge of tornadoes across a Conference and a state and the devastation that comes as a result. Our gift is a gift of solidarity with the Arkansas Annual Conference as we share the power of the connection. We want the people of the United Methodist Church in Arkansas to know they are not alone!”
“We are deeply grateful for this gift from United Methodists in our neighboring conference. Through our connection, they are helping us meet both the immediate and long-term needs of people rebuilding their lives after traumatic devastation,” added Bishop Laura Merrill. “The organized efforts by our conference staff and volunteer teams is to be commended once again. United Methodists are usually the last to leave in areas that have experienced disaster, and I am so proud of this faithful work.”
When asked what the Arkansas Conference could do to support our Disaster Response teams, the answer was a resounding call for more volunteers.
Sheri Mathews, Conference Co-coordinator, shared, “The destruction in these areas could very well require a ten-year clean-up, and we plan to be there for the victims until the work is complete.”
There is an urgent need for disaster response volunteer teams to serve in the Bentonville, Rogers, Decatur, and Yellville areas. Teams may come and work for one day or multiple days, and lodging is available at Bentonville First UMC and Springdale First UMC.
Please contact Roy Lee at cedisaster@arumg.org at least 48 hours before you plan to arrive to get your trip scheduled and for information on volunteering.
Monetary donations may be made to support the ARUMC Volunteers in Mission/Disaster Response, which will remain in the state of Arkansas for local recovery efforts, and to UMCOR, which will support global disaster response ministry.
To receive the most up-to-date information about Arkansas Disaster Response, please join the Arkansas Conference Volunteers in Mission and Disaster Recovery Facebook group here.