Floods In Iowa
As of July 1, the 2008 Midwest (U.S.) floods continue to escalate to major proportions. According to Nazarene Disaster Response (NDR) Director Steve Creech, the 2008 floods have been the greatest challenge NDR has faced since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. 
"The areas of damage [in the Midwest] are wide spread and the need for volunteers is critical and in short supply," stated Creech.Iowa District Superintendent Garey Miller has requested help for as many Iowa District churches as possible. Teams are critically needed in Cedar Falls, Iowa as they currently have a shortage of volunteers and teams. While many team leaders are looking for a project with a September-October time frame, the critical need is for Work and Witness-style teams who can deploy to Iowa in the next two or three weeks to mud-out homes and do other repairs. In other areas, the Wapello, Iowa, Church of the Nazarene is still in the recovery stages. They are expecting a team from West Flint, Michigan, to arrive soon and help with some of the clean up and recovery efforts. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, church is currently staffed and a shortage of volunteers is not anticipated for that area since the volunteer coordination has been coming from multiple churches and faith groups.Also, the Northwest Illinois District has recently been declared a disaster area due to flood waters. Massive damage and destruction has been reported in the Kiephsburg and Lomax, Illinois, areas. Illinois NDR Coordinator Ron Scarlett has been working to get relief to these areas. Help is requested in Illinois as well. NDR has activated multiple rapid response teams for the first flood event in Indiana. However, many volunteers have already used their vacation days to deploy to Indiana. Now, less than a month later, there is another critical need and many of the NDR volunteers are unable to help at the present time. According to Creech, mass care products such as Crisis Care Kits and other items are not currently needed. The most critical need is for volunteers. NDR is also taking long term volunteers to help with long term disaster recovery.
"The areas of damage [in the Midwest] are wide spread and the need for volunteers is critical and in short supply," stated Creech.Iowa District Superintendent Garey Miller has requested help for as many Iowa District churches as possible. Teams are critically needed in Cedar Falls, Iowa as they currently have a shortage of volunteers and teams. While many team leaders are looking for a project with a September-October time frame, the critical need is for Work and Witness-style teams who can deploy to Iowa in the next two or three weeks to mud-out homes and do other repairs. In other areas, the Wapello, Iowa, Church of the Nazarene is still in the recovery stages. They are expecting a team from West Flint, Michigan, to arrive soon and help with some of the clean up and recovery efforts. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, church is currently staffed and a shortage of volunteers is not anticipated for that area since the volunteer coordination has been coming from multiple churches and faith groups.Also, the Northwest Illinois District has recently been declared a disaster area due to flood waters. Massive damage and destruction has been reported in the Kiephsburg and Lomax, Illinois, areas. Illinois NDR Coordinator Ron Scarlett has been working to get relief to these areas. Help is requested in Illinois as well. NDR has activated multiple rapid response teams for the first flood event in Indiana. However, many volunteers have already used their vacation days to deploy to Indiana. Now, less than a month later, there is another critical need and many of the NDR volunteers are unable to help at the present time. According to Creech, mass care products such as Crisis Care Kits and other items are not currently needed. The most critical need is for volunteers. NDR is also taking long term volunteers to help with long term disaster recovery.
