As we move into the next phase of the Flood Response we’ll begin to make a shift in the items that we’ll be needing.  Some items will be items to borrow, some will still be donations.

1. AIR CARD DONATION –  Bonnie Rennich, OSLC’s Director of Music and Congregational Ministries, is working remotely from her family’s lake property near Bottineau.  The same thing is true for her husband Tim whose business was  flooded.   Since their home is one block from the river in the center of town, they will be evacuated for an extended time.  A laptop computer has been supplied for Bonnie to allow her to work from Bottineau.  The challenge is that cell coverage exists, but DSL service for the computer does not. The solution is to provide an AIR CARD for Bonnie so that she can have remote access and connections to the rest of the OSLC staff via the computer.  A donation is being sought for this purpose.

2. The EOC (Emergency Operations Center) meals phase of OSLC’s flood recovery has come to a close.  During the month of June, OSLC volunteers served 100+ meals for 20 days as the flood fight ramped up and went into its critical phases.  Almost all of the meals were covered by donations of food and money from OSLC members with the remainder covered by a grant from LCMS World Relief and Human Care.

3.  Items that will soon be needed include generators and gas powered pumps.  Some are available for use toward the end of the week.  Working with the ND District and with Orphan Grain Train, OSLC members will have the opportunities to use some of these larger pieces of equipment and more as soon as some of the practical items, such as storage, training, etc., are worked out.

4. On Tuesday, OSLC receive a large amount of food items from Eagle Valley Church in Libby, MT.  Eagle Valley Church heard of the devastation Minot was facing and decided to take an offering for the Christians in Minot.  Through connections with one of our OSLC members, they delivered a large pick-up load of non-perishable food and approximately $800 in cash to OSLC’s Flood Relief Fund.

5. In addition, $1000 was received from Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Greenville, Wisconsin, along with a $500 check from a neighbor living in the Prairie Bluffs addition directly east of our building.  We’re grateful for such kindness as we use these dollars to assist our members.

With the water still at record levels, but slowly, slowly receeding, here’s the latest OSLC efforts for our members and our community:

1. Pastor Krueger will begin the weekly team meetings with Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) www.ldrnd.org this Wednesday as LDR brings a national presence and 14 years of North Dakota disaster response expertise into our city.  LDR will take the leading role in the city as they did in Grand Forks and be the means through which many of the OSLC flood response items will happen.  They will also work with the churches of Minot to coordinate servant groups in the long-term clean-up and recovery.  God’s people are intended to be a blessing to their communities, and through the partnership with LDR we hope to assist many.

2. OSLC applied for and has been granted $14,600 from “LCMS Human Care and World Relief” which is being distributed to flood ravished families to meet immediate needs that they may find themselves facing.  In addition, OSLC’s Flood Relief Fund has received an additional $4000 through online and personal gifts that will be used for people’s immediate short term (non-FEMA covered)  needs.  All funds contributed to the Flood Relief Fund are going directly to assist families.

3. We’re beginning to assess the equipment necessary for the recovery.  Over the weekend a pair of pumps were delievered to the church.   Wednesday morning we have a telephone conference with a volunteer team who specialize in other equipment necessary to assist families and clean up teams following disasters such as ours.  This group has the ability to provide everything from mobile kitchens, to shovels that can be used in the clean up processes.

4. Names of Servant Teams from across the country are now starting to be collected.  Teams from as far away as Michigian and Oklahoma have already begun their plans to assist in the Minot area.  These names and contact persons are being kept in an OSLC data base.  LDR will assist in the coordination of teams and individual home owners as the time for clearing homes begins.

5. The need at Our Savior -  Listed here is the best assessment of Our Savior’s families and the impact of the flood:

• Our 7/3/11 assessment shows that 79 Our Savior Families were evacuated from their homes (or business) on June 22, 23.
  • 42 families have homes which are total loss, meaning water is to the roof lines or greater
  • Added to that are 12 families who are facing what we’re calling “total loss with special circumstances”, meaning homes are collapsed or dislodged from foundation, or the family lost both a home(s) and a business.
  • 22 families are facing a partial loss, meaning water filling the basement and lapping on the main floor, or they were renting a home where they can no longer return.
  • 3 families (three generations – grandparents, parents, adult grandchildren) whose homes are intact, but whose business, which supports all three families is a total loss.
• OSLC full-time and part-time staff members are included in the above totals.  The staff losses are as follows:
  • Administrative Secretary (full time) – Home is a total loss.
  • Director of Music and Congregational Ministries (full time) – Home may be a total loss, husband’s business is a total loss.
  • Director of OSLC’s Child Development Center (full time) – A single parent with three children, home may be a total loss.

6. OSLC volunteers concluded daily meals at the EOC (Emergency Operations Center) on Friday, July 1st.  Our volunteers prepared 100+ meals per day for a total of 20 days during the month of June, taking into account the flooding at both the beginning of the month and at the end of the month.  Thank you to all who generously donated food, dollars, and time.

7. As the recovery phases begin, the following volunteers will be needed.  As the Lord moves your heart, perhaps one of these areas will be an area that you would find joy in serving:

• Case Mangagers – working with LDR, you would receive training and assist families in walking through the recovery process.  FEMA, SBA,  and a whole lot more agencies will all converge, leaving individuals wondering if they’ve taken the correct steps and walked through the proper processes.  As a Case Manager, you would guide a family and assist them in this important process.
• “Cut and Muck” – The recovery begins as homes are cleared of debris and sheetrock is removed.  This process will take many hands, and at the same time workers will give great hope to people who are simply overwhelmed by the task.  Servant teams from all over the country are making plans to travel to Minot and assist.  Minot volunteers can make a great impact as well.  In the next little bit our focus will begin moving in this direction.
• SBA  Assistance – working with LDR, you would receive training to assist applicants in completing the SBA loan forms.  The forms themself are a thick stack of papers that can feel intimidating for a person even before they begin.  Working through the church you would provide a trusting, caring encouragement and practical assistance for people completing the paper work.  This too can be an exceptional way to asssist.

8. Thanks to the kindness of OSLC members Michael and Wendi Johnson, a camper trailer has been provided for Karla Ross, our child development director to live in.  With this trailer she’ll be able to have her children close by and will no longer have to commute from her rented “sleeping room” in Berthold.  Thanks Mike and Wendi!

9. OSLC Pastor’s continue to provide counseling care to individuals who are faced with such devestation.  Please continue to hold the people of Minot in your prayers.

10. ONE STOP REGISTRATION at www.oslcnow.com.  The OSLC web site will be the collection point for:

• Servant Event Teams.   Servant Event Teams from all LCMS congregations anywhere in the nation will be directed to register their groups through the OSLC web site.  These names will be automatically pushed into the LDR volunteer system where they will be matched with Minot area homes.
• Homeowner Registration.   Homeowners in Minot will be able to register their home for volunteer assistance through the OSLC web site.  When the city and county have given the approval to begin, this data will be matched with servant event groups by LDR and the helping hands of people across the nation will be coming to Minot homes.  This will be for both the “Clean Up Phase” and the “Rebuild Phase” of Minot’s recovery.
• Financial Donations.  Flood Recovery donations will continue to be gathered through the secure giving button found on OSLC’s web site.
• Prayer Requests.  The OSLC web site is equipped for prayer requests which are directly forwarded to our pastoral staff.  This service will be available to anyone in the community.

Thank you for your generous support of OSLC’s Flood Response.

Giving that makes a difference!   Thank you for all that you’ve contributed so far whether it’s been by cash donation or by physically dropping items off at the church.

Here are the OSLC  flood crisis donation needs for Friday and Saturday, July 1 and 2

1. Food for Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Meals:

Each day OSLC serves 100+ meals to the leaders at the Emergency Operations Center.

Items you can help with by donating:

Friday July 1 – Chow Mein Hotdish

15 lbs hamburger

Cream of mushroom soup – 15 cans

Chicken Rice Soup – 15 cans

Mixed Frozen Veggies – 5 packages

Saturday July 2 – EOC Meals Come to a Close.  Thank you so very much!

DELIVER THESE ITEMS TO THE CHURCH – Thanks!

(By the way, your cash donations are used to purchase items that are not physically donated for the meals.  Thank you for your donations as well!  You can make cash donations online by using the GIVE button on the home page and following the directions for OSLC’s giving kiosk.)

2. LHLH Kitchen Help Needed for dish washing during the duration of the “water boil“

The added time for boiling water and handwashing dishes is causing the LHLH center to relocate care givers from their classrooms to assist in the kitchen.  Most of the dishes are paper/plastic, so there would only be the cooking dishes.  Time would be approximately 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM while the boil order stays in effect.

3. OSLC Staff member can use a camper for temporary housing! Karla Ross, OSLC’s Child Development Center Directorwas evacuated from her “evacuation house”.  Her children are currently housed in different parts of town while Karla rents a “sleeping room” in Berthold.  With the early morning and late night hours that she holds, along with the separation from her children, this situation is very difficult for her to say the least.  Can you help us find a camper that can be used for 2-3 months to help alleviate this difficulty?  If one can be found, the plan will be to place the camper at the east end of the OSLC parking lot and supply it with electricity for the duration.   Your assistance would be greatly appreciated in the search.

PLEASE CALL PASTOR KRUEGER 852-6404 TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION.