DRS Current Activities
During the summer there are several parades that DRS participates in. It was rainy for the Cutlerville Parade but DRS volunteers and staff showed up to walk by the truck and trailer passing out candy and pens.
Holland, MI Flooding
CRWRC-Disaster Response Services has been working with local churches, partner agencies, and the city of Holland in response to the recent flooding. The following program has been set up to deal with the situation. Anyone who needs help with clean up should contact Good Samaritan Ministries at 616-392-7159. If you would like to volunteer your time to help with the cleanup, please contact CRWRC-Disaster Response Services at 800-848-5818. The city will be arranging for debris pickup at the curb for the next several Saturdays.
Reconstruction
Kenner, LA (closed for the summer)
Disaster: Hurricane Rita, Fall 2005
Project Manager: Len & Carrie Blauwkamp
On-Site Managers:
Construction Supervisors:
Team:
Lake Charles, LA (closed for the summer)
Disaster: Hurricane Rita, Fall 2005
Project Managers: Doug & Pat Guikema
On-Site Managers:
Construction Supervisor:
Team:
Port Arthur, TX (closed for the summer)
Disaster: Hurricane Rita, Fall 2005
Project Managers: Dan & Lynne De Boer
On-Site Managers:
Construction Supervisors:
Team:
Cedar Rapids, IA (6/20/09 – 7/4/09)
Disaster: Flooding, May 2008
Project Managers: Fred & Mary Visser
On-Site Managers: Ben & Marijane Huizinga
Construction Supervisors: John & Sandra Elsinga
Team: Denny & Lavonne Roosendaal, Marlo & Carol DeYoung, Ardy Zondervan, Joyce Slagter, Ken & Bette Venhuizen, Howard & Marilyn Vander Griend, John & Lila Kroon, Bob Molendyk, Brent & Tania Molendyk,
Needs Assessment – Polk County AR (6/20/09 – 7/2/09)
Disaster: Tornado, April 9, 2009
Regional Project Managers: Fred & Mary Visser
Leaders: Dan & Merilyn De Vries
Team: Fred & Mary Visser, Rich & Pat Grasman, Les & Nancy Kragt
Work Groups
If you are wondering where you can volunteer for a week this summer, DRS has many opportunities for individuals, groups or families.
- Northwest Indiana (a 3-county area including Munster and Gary), where severe flooding last fall left thousands of homes in need of both gutting and rebuilding. The area is about 2-1/2 hours from Grand Rapids and less than 1 hour from Chicago. Free accommodations in the Munster CRC, kitchen and showers available. There is an urgent need for gutting, and also for more skilled volunteers to do drywalling, trim, floors, painting, etc.
- Other locations in Indiana: Terra Haute, Monticello, Martinsville--all a short day's drive from most midwestern locations. All in need of rebuilding crews, in some cases to build new homes that were destroyed by floods. Accommodations provided and a means for meals and showers.
- Iowa update: Cedar Rapids and Waterloo are nearly full for the summer months--great news! A few weeks in July and August are available, at least for relatively small groups. Plenty of needs and opportunities in the fall. As always with these projects we support, accommodations, meals and showers are available...details vary by location.
- Katrina area (MS, LA): Yes, a dozen or more partners continue to ask us for help from our greenshirted volunteers. If you're thinking ahead to a warmer location next fall/winter, we'd be happy to tell you about some options.
- Rita/Ike area (SE Texas): Hurricane Ike devasted Galveston and parts of Houston. We're partnering with some great organizations there that are doing both cleanup and rebuilding, and will be doing so for several years.
- For those out west: Recovery from fires in Southern California and floods in Oregon presents opportunities for volunteer groups to make a difference!
- It's the time of year when tornados and severe thunderstorms can do severe damage, and the hurricane season is just around the corner. If a serious disaster occurs, we may be looking for volunteers who are able to respond on short notice with initial cleanup.
If you feel led to respond to one or more of these needs and opportunities, please be in touch with either Art Opperwall (aopperwall@crwrc.org) or Torey Kittleson (tkittleson@crwrc.org, 1-800-848-5818). We hope to hear from you, whether you have interest in serving somewhere soon, or if you're thinking many months down the road.