WASHINGTON -- Rev Tom Goodell at Crossroads UMC reports homeowners are seeking cleanup assistance in Washington throughout April and May. Help is being requested for light clean up duty, moving of furniture and boxes and some landscaping. Teams are needed for weekdays and Saturdays. Washington Crossroads UMC is available to coordinate teams for a single day of work and to accommodate overnight teams. Please consider scheduling your church youth, young adults, adult church school classes and other groups for a Saturday or week-day volunteer opportunity. To schedule a team, call Rev Tom Goodell at 309-444-2381.
BROOKPORT -- The Long Term Recovery Committee for the Brookport tornado is ready to resume clean up and to begin the rebuilding process. A construction manager is designated and volunteer teams are being coordinated through the First United Methodist Church of Metropolis. Brookport is in need of skilled repair volunteers and construction workers. To schedule a team in Brookport, call Rev Jeff Bealmear at 618-524-9325.
GIFFORD – A website, http://GiffordLTRC.net, has been established for contacting the community about volunteering. The community recently received a $650,000 grant from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Administration after being denied twice by the Federal Emergency Disaster Agency. One grant, of $500,000 will help fix the water treatment plant, which currently operates under a tent. The other grant, of $150,000, will go toward rebuilding the water tower and putting it in a new location -- next to the plant on the east side of town. Call the Gifford Hotline – 217- 568-7411 for any questions, to volunteer or to get assistance.