Local churches team up to help Hereford volunteers with flood cleanup efforts

Submitted to the Globe-News
·4 min read

Two Amarillo churches, one United Methodist and one Presbyterian USA, recently united to help with cleanup efforts in Hereford after more than 6 inches of rain flooded the San Jose neighborhood in late May.

Two pickups pulled up to Alicia Rocha’s home on Boston Street on Saturday, July 22, and five volunteers from Georgetown, clad in fluorescent green t-shirts imprinted with the words “United Methodist in Disaster Relief”, assessed the situation and began tearing out soggy sheetrock.

The five of volunteers are working as part of UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), a worldwide humanitarian relief and development effort of the United Methodist Church.

Alicia Rocha and volunteer Paula Cook outside Rocha’s home in Hereford, where mold remediation is taking place after flooding caused damage to the area in May.
Alicia Rocha and volunteer Paula Cook outside Rocha’s home in Hereford, where mold remediation is taking place after flooding caused damage to the area in May.

Meals for the UMCOR volunteers were provided by members of Amarillo United Methodist Church (AUMC) and housing was provided by St. Luke Presbyterian Church.

The two churches have been partnering since February, when the session at St. Luke Presbyterian offered to share its building with newly organized United Methodist congregation. Since then the two congregations have shared everything from office space to doughnuts to the sanctuary.

“This recent partnership to help the UMCOR volunteers in Hereford was just one more act of Christians coming together to spread the love of God,” said Robert Burke, pastor of AMUC.

The five UMCOR volunteers who came to Hereford are members of First United Methodist Church in Georgetown and are certified in Emergency Response Training, which includes mold remediation, tarping roofs and removing brush. The focus of their five-days in Hereford was mold remediation.

“Our job is to remove danger,” said UMCOR volunteer Reagan Cook, “and provide some degree of safety.” Restoration will be the next step, but mold removal is the first step because it is essential. “If the mold is not removed, it is useless to restore the home.”

Two Amarillo churches recently united to help with cleanup efforts in Hereford after more than 6 inches of rain flooded the San Jose neighborhood in late May. The volunteers, clad in fluorescent green t-shirts, were working as part of UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief).
Two Amarillo churches recently united to help with cleanup efforts in Hereford after more than 6 inches of rain flooded the San Jose neighborhood in late May. The volunteers, clad in fluorescent green t-shirts, were working as part of UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief).

“We don’t do anything we need a license to do,” explained Cook.

Additional UMCOR volunteers will come to Hereford later to help rebuild the damaged homes, but the first task was to get rid of the mold that grew in the homes after the flooding.

Information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov) website states: “Exposure to mold can lead to asthma attacks, eye and skin irritation, and allergic reactions. It can lead to severe infections in people with weakened immune systems. Ensure the mold cleanup is complete before reoccupying your home.”

UMCOR volunteers in Hereford are all retirees chose to embark on a new “career” and are united by their desire to help disaster victims return to their normal lives. Members of the group included Reagan Cook, who worked in environmental research in the energy industry; Paula Cook, former elementary school teacher; Bob Burleson, who has 53 years of construction experience; Robin Burleson, former 5th and 6th grade teacher; and Harry Hudson, retired senior project manager in Information Technology for Dell.

Damaged furniture and goods are laid outside of flooded homes in the El Campo neighborhood of Hereford.
Damaged furniture and goods are laid outside of flooded homes in the El Campo neighborhood of Hereford.

Why would volunteers from Georgetown drive more than 450 miles to work in Hereford?

“It’s hard for communities to maintain groups of people ready to help after a disaster,” said Paula Reagan. Disasters don’t happen on a regular basis in every community, so volunteers lose interest, she said. “That’s why we travel to where we are needed.”

In the past seven months UMCOR has provided financial and/or volunteer support to communities in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Texas after tornadoes. No special skills are needed to be an UMCOR volunteer. “All volunteers can find a way to be of service. Willingness is all you need,” Paula Cook said. “Sometimes we have a volunteer who comes along and feeds those of us who are working in disaster recovery.”

A multi agency center was set up to assist residents affected by recent flooding in Hereford.
A multi agency center was set up to assist residents affected by recent flooding in Hereford.

“Also someone can brings tables and chairs and necessities we need to stay in a disaster zone for several days,” said Robin Burleson, who became interested in UMCOR through the women’s activities at the Georgetown church. “There is always a way to help.”

“We have a friend who says, ‘If you can bend over to pick up a $20 bill, you can volunteer,” added Reagan Cook.

The trip to Hereford by the five ERT-trained volunteers is just the beginning. Other UMCOR volunteers will come to begin repairing the damaged homes. As the group reminisced over their various efforts over the years, the essence of their service emerged.

“We are delivering hope,” said Paul Cook. “We are trying to bring back people’s lives.”

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Local churches team up to help Hereford volunteers with flood cleanup