Thursday, March 28, 2024

Long term wildfire recovery continues in valley

Posted

CHELAN - Pateros Mayor Carlene Anders is also Executive Director of the Long Term Recovery Program serving victims of the devastating wildfires of 2014 and 2014 in Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan Counties.

She has been a chief instigator of involving the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) in recovery efforts in NCW.

 A Volunteers in Mission (VIM) crew of four spent several days felling trees and doing other mop up work on the south shore of Lake Chelan. The burned out trees and other vegetation were a threat to the new homes and vacation cabins being constructed immediately uplake from First Creek and Watson’s Hrverene Resort

 The VIM crew also did several days doing similar work near Republic, north of Omak. Blackened, unsteady trees were a threat to replacement homes soon to be built. The workers were housed in the Lake Chelan and Omak United Methodist Churches.

 The interesting, talented group included: Dana Bryson of Richland, a retired Hanford nuclear engineer; Larry Johnson of Newberg Oregon, a retired middle school science and PE teacher; and Woody Russell of West Richland, a retired environmental specialist. The group leader was Steve Meacham of Shelton, a retired forester.

 It was dangerous and dirty work, but the men seemed proud to be making things better for local wildfire victims. Bryson summed it up by saying, “We’re all trying to give back to communities in need, and provide a caring Christian presence for survivors of disasters.”

 He and his wife were part of another VIM team which helped with flood cleanup in the Spokane area recently. Bryson and Johnson were also part of a VIM team working in the aftermath of a hurricane in the Outer Banks on the East Coast last November.

 More information about UMCOR’s worldwide outreach is available on the internet at www.umcor.org.
 
 

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here