Disaster Relief in Sullivan, Indiana

Disaster Relief in Sullivan, Indiana

Heavy equipment is usually needed for disaster relief.  This skid loader makes small work of huge logs.

From the Indy Star:

“Multiple tornadoes hit Indiana communities both south and north of Indianapolis late Friday and early Saturday, leaving at least three people in Sullivan County dead and hundreds of homes and buildings damaged or destroyed.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis said late Saturday that crews have preliminarily identified at least seven tornadoes that hit Indiana. The strongest storms were seen in Sullivan County.”

The Fellowship of Christian Farmers brings its expertise and compassion to the Sullivan, Indiana area.

Executive Director Dennis Schlagel rented this excavator to clear debris near Sullivan, Indiana.  Here, a hole is being dug to fill with lunber with nails.

A wonderful group of volunteers came from the Freeport, Illinois area, attendees of Martintown Community Church in Martintown, Wisconsin.  We also had a couple of volunteers from Mississippi, who worked the heavy equipment on farms southwest of Sullivan.

Pako in full FCFI safety gear
This house was completely destroyed without a trace, except for some strewn about cinder blocks from the foundation.  One man died here, and his wife survived, but remains in critical condition one week after the storm.

Many people southwest of Sullivan, out in the country, lost everything they had.  The Fellowship of Christian Farmers engages in high level disaster relief, using excavators, skid loaders, side by sides, chainsaws, and fencing materials.  Some of our equipment has been donated to us, in response to past disaster relief efforts.  Some equipment we rent, as we did with the excavator shown above.

What was left of this house was pushed into the basement and set on fire.  The roof on the shed was completely replaced in the short time I was walking around taking photos.

One thing we never seem to have enough of is the people needed as boots on the ground to help with the relief effort.  We need skilled equipment operators, chainsaw experts, fence builders, but we also need people willing to glean fields to prepare for this spring’s planting, and general clean up work around houses and farms.  The Fellowship of Christian Farmers never charge anyone for disaster relief.  Much of our building materials are donated by local outlets.  Donations to FCFI pay for what is needed to complete the jobs.  Local churches and church camps provide volunteers with food and lodging whiile competing disaster relief.  The donations from our members, friends, followers, and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ keep us working to help our friends and neighbors recover from tragedy all over the Midwest.  We thank you all for your support!

Pako hanging with a couple of MPs on dutto guard a diesel tank being used to fuel heavy equipment.

If you are interested in helping the Fellowship of Christian Farmers with disaster relief, please contact Executive Director Dennis Schlagel at 309-530-7004, and thank you for your support!