Volunteers wanted Volunteers in Mission are being sought to remove tree stumps and other debris in La Plata and the surrounding area, which was hit by a tornado April 28. Those interested in volunteering should contact Kathie Evans at (301) 643-6027 or (301) 645-0509. The rebuilding of LaPlata UMC continues. While the education building, which was devastated in the storm, is expected to take a year to rebuild, contractors estimate that the sanctuary may be completed by the end of September, said the Rev. George Anderson. For any additional information about the recovery efforts, contact Associate Council Director Sandra Ferguson at (800) 492-2525, Ext. 431, or
| Volunteers still needed to remove thousands of tree stumps after tornado BY MELISSA LAUBER UMCONNECTION STAFF The tornado that swept through Charles and Calvert counties last spring has recovery workers stumped in more ways than one.  The 260-mile-per-hour winds that swept through La Plata and the surrounding area April 28 ripped down an estimated 30,000 trees. The winds were so severe that a list of people baptized at La Plata UMC, which was lying on the Rev. Edward Voorhaars desk, ended up in Salisbury, 135 miles away, reported the Rev. George Anderson, retired, who was recently brought on for six months to assist Voorhaar following the disaster.
While insurance is providing the funds for most people in the region to rebuild their homes, no money is provided for the removal of the tree stumps that dot the landscape of the 25-mile swath of land where the tornado touched down, Anderson said. While thousands of stumps may not seem like a disaster, their impact is keenly felt in the community. You have to understand this communitys relationship to its trees, said Kathie Evans, who oversees the recovery efforts for Charles County. You have to understand what our trees mean to us.  Evans, a member of Lakeside UMC in Waldorf, is responsible for counting the stumps that lie in peoples front lawns and within 100 feet of their homes. To date she has registered 2,100 and anticipates her count will exceed 3,500. She is depending on volunteer groups to do most of the grinding and removal.
On July 16, an older woman came into Evans office at the county building in La Plata. Like many of the residents, she has more than 20 stumps dotting her yard. Its terrible, she said. You feel so exposed. We dont stop and realize how important our trees are until theyre gone. Some people who come to the office report signs of depression. They almost always focus on looking out at the stumps, Evans said. She listens and then refers them to a counselor. She also pays special attention to the communitys senior citizens, many of whom attempt to remove the debris themselves, suffering what local doctors now refer to as Paul Bunyan injuries. While contractors can remove the stumps, the price tag is usually well over $5,000 per yard. Senior citizens will be choosing between stump removal and medical care, Evans said. Thats not a choice they should have to make. Some church and community groups have volunteered to help remove the stumps, but many more are needed. Evans tells volunteers who want more glamorous or traditional work, like rebuilding houses, This is our disaster. We do stumps. Evans works six days a week. I do it because it needs to be done, its that simple, she said. Her son complains that if she had only two pieces of bread and a hungry stranger approached, shed give one piece away and theyd have to share the other. Yes, she confesses, thats true. I know God will provide. I cant walk away from people in need. Evans is hopeful God will provide the Volunteer in Mission teams to remove the stumps. Each day when she drives around, she notices the sunflowers. The storm blew the seeds into unusual places. Now you never know where youll spot the bright yellow flowers, she said. Like the man who saws crosses out of the tree stumps, theyre symbols of hope. |
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