HELPING SOUTHERN INDIANA RISE—YOU’RE INVITED TO HELP! BLITZ CLEAN-UP RENOVATION SESSION SATURDAY, MARCH 31
The Diocese of Indianapolis is gearing up to welcome longer-term tornado clean up and rebuilding teams from our parishes (and nationally) with a Saturday, March 31, clean up and renovation of a home in New Albany that will provide nearby lodging for groups as they work in the affected areas. The home is being loaned to us at a very low cost by a St. Paul’s New Albany parishioner. Efforts will also include planting and maintaining a large community garden this summer to help provide fresh veggies for those who are still struggling in the aftermath of this crisis.
Initial expenses of the clean-up/renovation will be covered by gifts to our diocesan tornado relief fund and other donations. We are still in touch regularly with Episcopal Relief and Development, who have indicated they will be partners with our diocese as we ramp up for longer-term reconstruction efforts.
In addition to prayer, for Saturday, March 31, we will need:
1. Not more than 2-4 participants from each parish for work that includes the home clean up, moving boxes and furniture, interior painting, exterior yard clean up, basic organization to get ready for groups, and preparation of a community garden (on the latter—weather permitting!).
2. Bunk beds or twin beds, twin bedding (sheets and pillowcases), towels and washcloths, a variety of cleaning supplies, paintbrushes and drop cloths, a sectional couch, basic household items from toilet paper and paper towels to bath and dish soap, outdoor lawn chairs/tables, a wheeled fire pit, gardening tools, veggie plants/seeds OR gifts of dollars to the diocesan Southern Indiana Tornado Relief fund to purchase these things.
3. A person (or persons!) with particular skills in plumbing.
4. Gifts of $$ to help support this effort for as long as this effort is needed and groups continue to want to come and serve.
Longer-term…
1. Continue your prayers!
2. Help support this house project with your gifts.
3. Gather teams from your parish who may want to do a mission trip and reserve your group dates in the house. (We’re going to start with asking for a voluntary donation of perhaps $15-20 per person each night to further help cover utilities and other costs.)
4. Evaluate your own gifts and skills and consider what you might be able to offer to those recovering from 49 miles of damage across our diocese. Would you enjoy offering a VBS experience for kids this summer? Are you interested in helping plant trees to help recover the some 1,000 acres of state forest lost in the tornado? Do you have a passion for helping area schools, pets, or non-profit organizations working to stay up with their client’s needs? Can you offer some pastoral care for those who are still working to cope with the devastation? How do YOU feel called to be present?!
For all of this (for now) as we gear up for this effort, contact KathyCopas@aol.com <mailto:KathyCopas@aol.com&