February 6, 2009
Disaster relief in Newburgh, opening doors at St. Theresa
Jenny McWilliams smiles as she talks about life in a Red Cross shelter. She and her husband Ted lost power in their home during the recent ice storm. Because of her health concerns, he insisted they stay in a shelter which was set up at St. John parish in Newburgh. Click for a larger version.
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
“I was freezing at home,” said Jenny McWilliams, “and suffering with asthma and emphysema” after the ice storm wiped out power in her home. That’s when her husband Ron insisted they head for a Red Cross shelter.
They found one in the gymnasium at St. John the Baptist School in Newburgh.
“It is warm and the food is good and the Red Cross people have been great,” Jenny said as she sat on a small green cot and held a warm cup of coffee.
“It’s different than I thought it would be,” she said of her experience in a shelter. “I thought it would be elbow to elbow, but actually it’s been really nice.”
Rhonda Zuber is a parishioner at St. John’s and the director of the Red Cross in Warrick County. She said that as soon as the shelter opened last week St. John parishioners arrived to answer the phones which were ringing “every 12 seconds. They helped with registration and they brought food to us. One stayed all day with us to get us used to the kitchen.”
Forty-five people spent the first night in the shelter. That day, 96 people came to “warm up and eat. We were offering cots, and breakfast, lunch and dinner.”
The next day, fewer people arrived. “Thirty-seven were here all day. One-hundred and forty-five people came for meals.”
The tri-state food bank delivered two pick-up trucks full of food, and many Newburgh parishioners brought in homemade deserts. “They were overwhelming. The parishioners and the staff bent over backwards to accommodate us.”
Red Cross volunteer Deannie Hall said the “environment is great. Their spirits are good, and they are very receptive and kind.”
Ronda agreed. “There is a lot of camaraderie. That’s because they can feel their toes again!”
ST. HENRY
Benedictine Father Damian Schmelz, pastor at St. Henry Church in St. Henry, said, “For some historical reason rather than high demand there are two utilities that supply electricity to St. Henry!
“One was down about a half day, the other most of one day. No excessive tree or other damage. The groundskeeper and I talk and decide when it is just too dangerous for our older parishioners or anybody else to come to weekday Mass — slick roads/sidewalks/parking lot or near zero temperatures.
“Cancellations are announced on two Jasper radio stations — so far no Mass three mornings this week. [St. Henry] is a pretty close-knit community, with families taking care of themselves and others.”
DUBOIS AND CELESTINE
Father Ron Kreilein, pastor at St. Peter Celestine Church, Celestine, and St. Raphael Church, Dubois, said, “So far we have only had a few power outages overnight and most of that has been restored, with the exceptions of a few homes that are still without power.
“Several tree branches have broken off due to the weight of the ice, but nothing major to report.”
ST. WENDEL AND POSEYVILLE
“We have had no damage or power outages at St. Francis Xavier Parish,” reports Benedictine Sister Leta Zeller, pastoral associate. “Members are all doing well.”
After the ice storm nearby St. Wendel parish was “without power and without phones,” she said, adding, “Many people at St. Wendel have generators and are doing okay.”
EVANSVILLE
In a Jan. 30 e-mail to parishioners at St. Theresa Church, Deacon Dave Seibert wrote, “I am finding out that we still have a lot of our people without electricity and heat.
“The parish has heat and electric in all buildings. If you or someone you know is without power and would like to warm up for a while, we can open some areas for you today in the school or parish office.
“If you would like a hot shower or to cook a hot meal, let me know and we can get you into the rectory or cafeteria to do so. All I ask is that you call to let me know to expect you in case I am in another part of the campus.”
A couple a days after the e-mail, Deacon Dave said, “We heard from a few telling us that they had just made arrangements with family or that their power had finally been restored. Everyone was grateful for the offer of course.
“I did hear from a few others — who offered to bring food and several men offered to pick up people who couldn’t drive,” he said. “The offer remains in effect until everyone’s power is back on.”
Deacon Dave is the pastoral life coordinator at the Evansville parish.
NEWBURGH
Chad Bennett is the facilities manager at St. John the Baptist Church in Newburgh. Immediately after the ice storm swept through the area, part of the parish facility became a Red Cross shelter.
The connection with the Red Cross began about 18 years ago. When a powerful tornado tore through southern Indiana in November of 2005, St. John’s would have been used as a disaster shelter, Chad said, “but we had no power.”
Over the years the Red Cross has presented a class for the parish staff about how to run a disaster shelter, he said, noting that the parish keeps a large supply of bottled water on hand as well as cleaning supplies, toilet paper and trash bags. “We could be self-sufficient for a week on our campus. We are also in the process of collecting donations for a back-up generator,” he said, adding, “We are almost there!”
In the future he said the Red Cross will probably hold a disaster preparedness class and a class on running a disaster shelter.
Chad noted that the recent ice storm “was as bad as I’ve ever seen it in my lifetime.”