By Rev. Karen Russell
The initial panic of having a hurricane come to the Appalachian Mountains has subsided a bit. Since the arrival of Helene in our midst, Holston Presbytery, with the generous help from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), churches and presbyteries within the Synod of Living Waters, and individuals and churches from around the country, has been able to prepare for the long months and years of recovery.
The damage from Helene was more targeted in upper east Tennessee, where there was damage, it was severe. The national news picked up on the stunning visuals from Erwin and Newport – but the visuals from the damage that was left in the wake of the hurricane simply has to be seen to be believed. Pictures can’t do it justice.
Holston Presbytery, within 48 hours after the storm arrived, had assembled a response team, headed by Rev. Allen Huff, who recruited a group of people with the skills, dedication, and resolve to work long terms to address physical losses of property and emotional losses and the grief involved.
Individual churches have also risen to the task of meeting needs in the community.
Newport Presbyterian Church began hosting work groups within a week of the storm. They were quickly able to set up enough cots, provide enough clean towels, and make sure there was plenty of bottled water for groups that came to Newport to work with local community groups as they mobilized to provide clean up services.
Cove Creek Presbyterian was also hosting work groups very quickly. They have a dormitory and dining room for larger groups (up to 90) that have been working in the North Carolina area as well as Tennessee.
Erwin Presbyterian Church was able to raise more than $40,000 that was given out in the form of $100 gift cards for food and gas so that people in the community could purchase food and keep their generators running. The small building next to the church was open so that anyone could come in and get a gift card without too much trouble, talk, cry, or just sit.
Holston Presbytery’s General Mission Board has decided that having a disaster response team is a value to the Presbytery, even when there is not an active response required. Last month, the group voted to make the Disaster Response Team a permanent standing committee of the GMB. Hurricane Helene surprised us, but having a Response Team that can be mobilized quickly will help Holston Presbytery be ready for the next disaster.