Our Workday Report for June 4, 2014

What a team, what a team!  Today these 10 CFC Disaster Response Ministry volunteers worked in Bessemer, Alabama with the assistance of Asbury UMC's skid steer "Abel" and finished clearing debris on 5 new properties, briefly assisted the City of Bessemer public works department and finished up 3 jobs that the RUMC Disaster Response Ministry had left slightly unfinished last Saturday.  All in all these team members collectively provided 87 hours of service.  Today's team was comprised of (left to right, front row:) Buddy Williams, Bob Thompson, [property owner Sheralon Hatter], Henry Averyt, (left to right, back row:) Ray Miller, Richard Simmons, John Boettner, Bob Nabors, Jim Pressler, Ken Clements and Bob Suellentrop.

Our first job of the day was at property owner Delores Pounds house on Oak Street.  We were asked to remove a tree that was suspended about 20 feet over the swale dividing two neighbor's properties and hung up in a tree.  It took a bit longer than we anticipated, but the result was a job well done.

Just down and across the street Louis Orr sought us out and asked if we might remove a last remaining stump from his yard.  As we've said many times before, when it's in your yard, it really doesn't matter how large or small the job is, it's a big job to the homeowner.  Bob Nabors only too happy to help him out.

While most of the team was working at Deloris' place, Richard Simmons went on ahead to work a job for Bernice Jackson, a lady he had been advised about before we arrived in Bessemer.  Bernice happened to live right in the same neighborhood, just up the hill and around the corner.  Bob Nabors and Ray Miller went to help Richard after they finished up their work at the first two jobs, but they reported that Richard had the job well in hand and virtually finished as they drove up to help.

Something happened between 9 AM and 10:30 AM here.  At 9 AM the road was clear, but when we wanted to drive down this road at 10:30 AM, the tree limb had broken and branches filled the street!  Jim Pressler jumped out to clear it as the rest of our caravan detoured around other streets in the neighborhood.  Not long after this picture was taken the City of Bessemer public works department showed up with a bucket truck and took over the remainder of the job.

Our last stop of the morning was at Sheralon Hatter's property.  Situated on the crest of a hill, the tornado did a fair amount of damage to her trees but blessedly spared her house.  Sheralon was so appreciateive of the work we did for her she graced us with a donation for the work we did.  We never work for recognition or thanks or compensation of any sort, but if a homeowner it truly bent on offering us something and they say they've prayed about it and really want to do so, we graciously accept.  We will add her gift to our very small bank account and use the funds to pay for the fuel and other supplies we otherwise purchase out of our own pockets to assist others.

It was time for our lunch break - and we really did need to sit down and rest for a while as it was fairly warm and humid by the time we finished at Sheralon's house, so we headed to the iconic restaurant in Bessemer known by barbecue connoisseurs all over the South: Bob Sykes BBQ!  I didn't hear any complaints about lunch from any member of today's team - not one!  And special words of appreciation go out to CFC team member Namcy Miller who, although unable to be with us today, sent homemade oatmeal and craisin cookies along with Ray for our dessert!  Yum!  Thanks, Nancy!

After lunch it was back to Sheralon's next door neighbor's - Billy Boyd's - house.  One of Sheralon's trees had fallen across Billy's property and we didn't want to leave any debris from helping Sheralon in Billy's yard so, with his permission, we cleaned up his property, too, and left him with some great hickory wood in manageable lengths with which he can grill out or smoke whatever meat he may choose to cook.

With those 5 jobs finished up we headed back to Lewis Avenue where the RUMC Disaster Response Ministry had spent so much time last Saturday.  They had left some large tree trunks lying in the fields they had cleared hoping we'd be back this week with Abel and that Abel would help out and carry those remaining logs to the curb.  Turned out that none of the three jobs could even cause Abel to break a sweat.

So that was our day today...or so we thought.  As most of us headed for home, the day would not yet be over for Abel and his handlers, pilot and trailer hauler Bob Suellentrop and safety officer Henry Averyt.  Henry reports that as he followed behind the skid steer trailer as they were heading back to Asbury UMC he noticed one of the trailer wheels wobbling.  And not soon after that, it popped its lug nuts, came completely off and went rolling across the street!  (The trailer is a double axle version so the tractor was still suspended and moving along behind Bob's vehicle, but running along on only three wheels is not particularly good.)  Henry reports that he honked his horn and flashed his headlights at Bob but oblivious to the dilemma behind him, Bob simply drove on.  Finally Henry resorted to a cellphone call and that got Bob to pull over.  A tow truck was called and when it arrived they found out that the tow truck couldn't carry Abel with his grapple attachment still attached, so they had to disengage the grapple and leave it on the skid steer trailer (but now the weight on the trailer was significantly lighter and would allow the trailer to still make it home on three wheels without too much worry), and then place Abel on the tow truck bed for transport back to Asbury UMC.  Bob and Henry finally did make it home safely - but about 4 hours later than they had anticipated!  Abel is home at Asbury UMC and his trailer is at the repair shop ready to undergo an evaluation and repair starting first thing tomorrow morning.  You know, the first rule of any disaster deployment is, "be flexible."  The second rule is, "be more flexible." And the third rule is, "be even more flexible."  Things like this do happen and certainly add a degree of excitement to our work we actually could do without!

In concluding today's report I'd like to especially acknowledge the continuing generosity of the Elvex Corporation which is our partner in outfitting our CFC chainsaw "cutters" with the finest personal protection equipment (PPE) made.  PPE that would retail for something in the neighborhood of $325 per set has been donated to us since the inception of our faith-based coalition disaster response ministry in 2012.  With the shipment that was waiting at my front door when I pulled in the driveway late this afternoon, Elvex will have outfitted 12 Cutters for Christ chainsaw operators in PPE.  Thank you so much Marty Solon (and Ted Cowie before you) and Elvex Corporation for faithfully continuing to support our mission and for truly contributing to our efforts to safely share the joy of Christ through our work!

Please remember that there is a tornado debris relief workday scheduled in Bessemer on Saturday, June 7 being coordinated by Lutheran Ministries of Alabama.  Registration begins at the Bessemer Civic Center at 9 AM.  You can report directly there or let me know by reply email if you would like to join the RUMC Disaster Response Ministry team that will be participating.  You would be more than welcome to be part of our volunteer group.

In His Service, Bob T.