Harold Johnson, Blue Cap

RRBA Disaster Relief Team Leader

TO:  Disaster Relief Volunteers

FROM:  Harold Johnson, Unit Director

SUBJECT:  Update Newsletter # 43

DATE:  March 4^th 2009

The purpose of this memo is to provide you with an update on what is going on with Red River Baptist Association Disaster Relief.

A lot has happened since the October newsletter. We have made two responses, our building has been completed and we have lots of plans for the dedication, open house and training.

First of all if you have received this by e-mail you should hit your “print” button now. There are dates and responses involved with this newsletter so you will need to have a copy available for the next several weeks.

On February 3^rd Jim Atchley took a team to Central Baptist Church Jonesboro in response to the North Arkansas Ice Storm. They replaced the Forest City team that had been there for a week. They stayed until February 6^th at which time the Red Cross decided to close due to most of the electrical service for the area being restored. Also on February 6^th I was enroute to East Side Baptist Church in Mountain Home with a team to replace the Searcy team when the Red Cross decided to close there also. We were asked to go on to Mt Home where we spent a week feeding chain saw teams and delivering bulk food to shelters, agencies and churches who were involved in feeding ministries. Thanks to all of you who went with us.

The really good news is that after about nine months our building is finished. Shortly after the last newsletter the Olds Foundation gave us another grant that equaled what we needed to finish the building. In early November we assembled a team and began working about two days each week, except for a Christmas break, until mid February. We owe a lot to several of our men, some not even members of our group, who worked many hours to complete the work. Jim Atchley served as the construction coordinator and did lots of the carpentry and finish work. Two men who were working with us who were not disaster relief trained when we started went with us on responses and are now committed to disaster relief. I am speaking of Ed Whitson and John Roland from the Curtis church. Ed did most of the electrical work and much more. John brought his equipment and did the dirt work that we needed and helped Ed with the electrical work. George Mertens, also not one of our regular responders, was there almost every work day and did electrical and carpentry, and he installed our telephone. Kenneth Sandifer was there almost every work session and did much of the sheetrock work. Others who assisted were Bill Phillips, Marvin Anderson, Ken Crain, Mike Elledge, Ken Locke, and James Blackwood. James built the kitchen cabinets and is working on the shower room furniture. Also James Bardwell and Tim Rayner helped on occasions. These men did work that would have cost us several thousands of dollars had we hired it done. We greatly appreciate the service they performed.

Now that the building is finished we need to show It off. We have the following events scheduled.  At 3:00 PM on Sunday April 5^th we will have a dedication service and open house for the churches of Red River and their members. We need to express our appreciation for the generous financial support that they provided and to our DR volunteers who gave a sizeable amount. Then on Monday April 6^th at 10:00AM we will be having a ribbon cutting and open house for the community. We will invite city and county officials, the Red Cross,

Now to training. This year training for new feeding unit and chain saw personnel will be conducted at First Baptist Church Hope at 8:30 AM on Saturday April 18^th. We will be taking our equipment and will be assisting with the feeding personnel training just as we normally do. We need several of our experienced personnel (about 20) to go and assist in this effort. Update training for previously trained personnel will not be done on this date. Instead we will be doing it in our new building later in the year.

In order for us to do all the above we need all of you to assist us. We hope those from outside Red River Association will attend either the dedication or the ribbon cutting. We need our local personnel to participate in all the events that you possibly can. Attached to this newsletter you will find a response form. Please complete it now before other conflicts arise and return it to me in accordance with the instructions. Please don’t make me have to call you.

I hope this helps you to stay informed.  Please call me at 870-246-5151 or e-mail me at johnsonhj@suddenlink.net if you have questions or comments.

CC:   Bill Cantrell     Robby Tingle     Jim Burns     Deborah LeMay    Ray Franklin