HURRICANE HARVEY CLEAN-UP BUCKETS

by Priscilla Self, Disaster Relief Coordinator

As Hurricane Harvey was finally leaving the Texas area, Priscilla Self, ISC Disaster Coordinator, Chris Cox, President/CEO and Rev. Mike Southcombe, Board Chairperson of Hoyleton Youth and Family Services, and the ISC Highland office staff were collaborating on how the Illinois South Conference and Hoyleton Youth & Family Services could respond.

On September 21, volunteers gathered at St. John Evangelical UCC in Collinsville to assemble 93 CWS Clean-Up Buckets for Hurricane Harvey Disaster Response. At the same time, ISC church members dropped off completed Clean-Up Buckets and extra supplies from their congregations. By 2 pm, 469 Clean-Up buckets and two pallets of extra cleaning supplies were loaded onto the Stock Transport truck. These items would be delivered to St. Paul UCC in Corpus Christi, Texas to be distributed to Harvey victims in that area including Rockport and Port Aransas.

Thanks and appreciations go out to the above named and:

  • ISC Congregations and Hoyleton Youth & Family Services for financial and supply donations
  • All the volunteers, from the beginning to the completion of this effort
  • Rev. Katie Jo Bielke, Amy Rhymer, Rev. Marvin Morgan, and St. John Evangelical UCC, Collinsville for their time, hospitality and use of facilities
  • Ray Ferrero of Collinsville
  • St. John Evangelical UCC for organizing their facilities and the Home Depot supplies
  • Stock Transport of Lebanon for donating the truck and driver
  • Rev. Burton Bagby-Grose, Pastor of St. Paul UCC in Corpus Christi for facilitating the delivery and distribution of these supplies to those in need.

There is, and will be, much Disaster Ministries response work to do in the years to come. You will be hearing and presented with more opportunities to do just that. Please open your hearts, minds, resources, hands and feet to respond to

Thanks from Corpus Christi

Thanks so much to the churches who have contributed to our relief work. Please convey those thanks to your staff. congregation and volunteers.   

Pastor Burton at St. Paul UCC in Corpus Christi called Priscilla to say that Stock Transport had arrived with the supplies.  He was so thankful to the folks in Illinois South Conference for the supply delivery, the Stock Transport company and their driver, Syd.   He said he “do you know that was over $38,000 worth of supplies”?  Priscilla hadn’t really thought about the total dollar amount.

Pastor Burton couldn’t believe the generosity of the ISC churches, Hoyleton Ministries and Stock Transport.  He said every bit of it will be put to good use.  He called while on the way to Aransas with a load of supplies for them.

The church in Texas took pictures during the unloading, etc. and said he will send copies.  

Contributing Churches Thru ISC (as of today)
Others may have sent contributions directly

Region 1
Carbondale Church of the Good Shepherd
Marion Zion UCC Region 2
Columbia St. Paul UCC
Evansville St. John UCC
Floraville St. Paul UCC
Maeystown St. John UCC
Red Bud St. Peter UCC
Waterloo St. Paul UCC
Waterloo Zion UCC Region 3
Cahokia Bethel UCC
Collinsville St. John Evangelical UCC Region 4
Godfrey Congregational UCC
Godfrey Evangelical UCC
Jerseyville Peace UCC
Moro St. John’s of Midway UCC
Wood River St. John UCC Region 5
Hamel Immanuel UCC
Highland Evangelical UCC
Jamestown St. Paul UCC
St. Jacob UCC
Staunton St. Paul UCC Region 6
Carlyle Immanuel UCC
Pana United in Faith Church Region 7
Addieville Zion UCC
DuBois St. Mark’s UCC
Hoyleton Zion Evangelical UCC
Johannisburg St. John’s UCC
Nashville St. Paul UCC
Okawville St. Peter’s UCC Region 8
Darmstadt Holy Ghost UCC
Freeburg St. Paul’s UCC
Lebanon St. Paul UCC
New Baden Zion UCC Region 9
Belleville Christ UCC
Belleville St. Paul UCC
O’Fallon UCC
Smithton St. John’s UCC