UM Flood Buckets, Volunteers Help in Clean-Up

By Jackie Campbell
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6/22/2009

Damaged belongings outside a Pitcairn home hit by flash flooding June 17, 2009.

Flood buckets collected from United Methodists during the Western PA Annual Conference session June 11-14 were put to good use less than a week later when severe storms caused flooding in Pittsburgh’s eastern suburbs. In the 10 days following the flood, 32 volunteers from 12 United Methodist churches volunteered a total of 260 work hours to help residents., according to Frank Bloise, who worked with his wife the Rev. Cyndi Bloise, pastor of Center Ave. UMC, to coordinate volunteers in Pitcairn.

Hardest hit were Pitcairn, where 256 homes were affected; Monroeville where 101 homes were affected and Turtle Creek with 59 homes affected. The morning after the storms, the Rev. Nelson Thayer, pastor of Eastbrook UMC, delivered 350 of the flood buckets that were stored at Eastbrook’s Mission Barn to Pitcairn and other areas affected by the flooding.
 
The National Weather Service said the flooding and other problems were the result of record rainfall for the date. A total of 2.92 inches was recorded for the 24-hour period, but most of that fell in just a few hours during the night  Early reports indicated 429 homes, 12 businesses, 2 sewer systems, 1 park and 13 roads and bridges were affected by flash floods.
 
The Revs. Stephen Moore and Rick Nelson, WPAUMC Disaster Response coordinators, said help was needed not only to replenish the supply of flood buckets, but also to help muck out and repair homes in the areas touched by the storm. 
 
 Beginning June 29, the Rev. Sue Sphar-Calhoun, pastor of McMasters UMC in Turtle Creek, was coordinating United Methodist volunteers. To contact Sphar-Calhoun, call 412-823-1988.  
 
WPAUMC Volunteers in Mission Coordinator Diane Miller said most work involves mucking out and cleaning up.  She said volunteers should be up-to-date with their tetanus shot, which is good for 10 years, and suggested that if possible, volunteers bring their own supplies such as gloves, bleach, rags and a shovel.