Blog | Hand in Hand Ministries

One week after the tornadoes

March 11, 2012

Filed under: Auxier — Tags: Appalachia, donations, tornado, tornadoes, tornados, volunteer — hhministries @ 1:49 am

Loading up the truck

We are a little more than one week past the tornado outbreak. We started the day Friday with several volunteers and staff going out today to serve meals and take supplies to the relief station in the Denver/Riceville area. Station workers are preparing meals and giving them out to people who stop by. We are also delivering meals to those who cannot travel to the station.

Neighbors in local communities are helping the efforts in many ways. Stewards of Appalachia generously donated food that we prepared at the relief station. Younces Plumbing has donated two porta pottys and set them up near the station. Super Dollar of Prestonsburg also donated food and water. Several businesses near Auxier have donated anonymously.

Hard at work loading up the truck

We’ve had five local volunteers who have worked tirelessly this past week to get out supplies and food to the workers and families. Our thanks go out to them as well, we couldn’t have kept the relief station going without them. Since the relief efforts started, we have already helped more than 150 people.

Friday afternoon, several other organizations started relief efforts in the Denver/Riceville area. We had also learned of areas that are not receiving assistance. We decided to move the relief station to the Tomahawk/Rockhouse area in Martin County. This area was hit hard but was so isolated that few knew about the damage until sometime Monday. There is a hollow of about 15 families that need our help.

Local Donations

Response from the Louisville area has been tremendous. Ryder Transportation in Louisville donated a 26-ft truck to take food, cleaning supplies and other needed items to the Hand in Hand Auxier Center for distribution to residents in Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin and Martin Counties.

On Friday, Louisville schools responded with donations; St. Xavier High School, St. Agnes, St. Bernard, St. Gabriel, St. Mary Academy, St. Raphael and Vanguard Academy in Norton Commons. Students from these schools helped load the truck as it made its rounds to each school this morning.

A full truck

Volunteers at the Hand in Hand office loaded the supplies donated by individuals and filled the 26-ft. truck. There is still more to be delivered and Hand in Hand will continue to collect donations and make an additional trip in the near future.
Financial donations are needed to cover the expenses of operating the relief station and distribution of the donated items. You can donate safely online at the Hand in Hand website, or call the office at 502.459.9930 to make a donation.
We are still collecting items at our Louisville office. The following items are still in need:
• Tarps
• Plastic storage containers
• Non-perishable food and canned goods
• Cleaning supplies
• Diapers for babies, toddlers and the elderly
• Personal care Items
• Laundry detergent and bleach
• Toilet paper

Hand in Hand is accepting these items at its office, 2225 Steier Lane, Louisville.

Thank you for your continued support. We are so grateful for all of the generous support.

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A first-hand account of tornado work in Kentucky

March 9, 2012

Filed under: Auxier, Disaster relief — Tags: Auxier, donate, Kentucky tornado damage, Patrick Lynch, St. Gabriel Church, tornado, tornadoes — hhministries @ 12:44 pm

Editor’s note: Patrick Lynch is the Youth Minister at St. Gabriel the Archangel Church in Louisville. He took a group of youth from Louisville to Auxier to assist the area this past weekend. The trip was planned prior to the tornadoes striking Kentucky. The group had planned to leave on March 2, but delayed leaving until Saturday, March 3. Patrick shared with us his first-person account of what it was like to go there and see the damage first-hand.

This past weekend, I went with the St. Gabriel Youth to Eastern Kentucky. Our trip to the mountains was supposed to be about helping setting up the Auxier Center for the new home repair season. Because of the storms rolling through Friday night, our group decided to postpone our departure for early Saturday morning. Since we, in the Louisville area, do not get news from Eastern Kentucky, we left as planned at 5 a.m. Saturday morning.

About 7:30 a.m., at the end of the Mountain Parkway we came over the final hill towards Salyersville and drove into the midst of the reality of Friday’s storms. This is, as far as I know, everyone’s little stopping point on the way to Auxier. Unknown to us, it was ground zero for one of the largest of Friday night’s tornadoes. It was unrecognizable and impassable. I have no words to describe what we saw. Seeing it in person is not like seeing it on TV: debris, insulation, collapsed houses. For me, it hit home. These were not just collapsed houses. On this Saturday morning, I saw collapsed lives. This is one of those times I wish I could “unsee” what I had seen. I have never had a van load of teenagers be as quiet as they were then. We could not go straight through, as the road was still blocked. We were directed to turn right and trust that our GPS would get us through, and it did, an hour behind schedule, but safely to Auxier. Don’t ask me how we got there. Just know it was steep, narrow, winding and sometimes one-lane.

In the end, our weekend was a fruitful one. I believe we did what we set out to do. We worked hard to help the Auxier Center get things in order for the coming year. We also gathered the needed immediate supplies for the crisis at hand, and then dropped them off at the Police Station in Paintsville. But this was about so much more for our group. We are coming to the realization that we are the ones who are the bringers of hope. We are the ones who can help renew and rebuild. And it became abundantly clear that we are called to be a part of the mission there. There will be more to say as I continue to process what happened. This I know for sure, our usual trip to Appalachia during Spring Break this year has new meaning. We are now more than ever attached to the area in ways I struggle to find the words to describe. We also know now what we will be doing a month from now. And finally this part of Kentucky especially needs our prayers, this is where the poorest of the poor live, and several tornadoes just carved mile-wide paths right through it.

Editor’s note: Our deep thanks to Patrick for sharing his story, and the entire St. Gabriel group for coming to Auxier to help. Here are some details on other ways that you can help.

Financial donations are needed to cover the expenses of operating the relief station. You can donate safely online at the Hand in Hand website, or call the office at (502) 459-9930 to make a donation.

We are still collecting items at our Louisville office. The following items are still in need:
• Tarps
• Plastic Storage Containers
• Non-Perishable food and canned goods
• Cleaning supplies
• Diapers for babies, toddlers and the elderly
• Personal Care Items

Hand in Hand is accepting these items at its office, 2225 Steier Lane, Louisville, Kentucky 40218. We will be collecting items until 5 p.m. on Friday and will load a truck for delivery early Saturday Morning.

The Hand in Hand staff has been “swamped” at the relief station set up in the Riceville/Denver area near Auxier. We’re serving hot food, giving out supplies and drinks as people stop in. Gloria said that people are very appreciative of the warm meals they’re getting. She said we’re almost out of beef stew and that some people have come back for seconds on her homemade bean soup! One man gave her a hug yesterday and told her she deserved and extra “thank you” for what she’s doing. We will continue as long as supplies hold out.

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Collecting items for tornado-damaged areas in Eastern KY

March 7, 2012

Filed under: Auxier — Tags: Auxier, donations, immediate tornado relief, tornado damage, tornadoes — hhministries @ 1:21 pm

We have posted previously about the extensive damage in Salyersville, particularly to St. Luke Church, which housed the only food pantry for all of Magoffin County. We wanted to update our friends and supporters on our efforts to help in this hard-hit region.

Hand in Hand’s Auxier Staff continues to provide emergency food and water to residents left homeless by Friday’s tornadoes. Riceville and Denver, small communities only four miles from the Auxier Center, sustained significant loss and damage to homes. With so many areas affected by the storms, small towns like Riceville and Denver have received little help or news coverage. Hand in Hand and a local Baptist church have been the only organizations to offer assistance. Hand in Hand has provided a camper/trailer to help with relief efforts.

Along with the non-perishable food and water, there is a great need for tarps to protect what is left of roofs. We also need plastic storage containers to help victims store any salvageable items.

The list of items needed include:
• Tarps
• Plastic Storage Containers
• Non-Perishable food and canned goods
• Cleaning supplies
• Diapers for babies, toddlers and the elderly
• Personal Care Items

Hand in Hand is accepting these items at its office, 2225 Steier Lane, Louisville, during regular business hours.

We will be collecting items until 5 p.m. on Friday and will load a truck for delivery early Saturday Morning.

Hand in Hand is also assessing the need for additional immersion trips to the region this spring and summer to continue repair and rebuilding for those in need. If you’re interested in helping, please contact the office at (502) 459-9930 or email Mary Helen Thompson at maryhelen@myhandinhand.org.

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Aiding tornado victims in Kentucky’s poorest areas

March 5, 2012

Filed under: Auxier, Disaster relief — Tags: Auxier, donate, immediate tornado relief, Kentucky, Magoffin County, Saylersville, St. Luke Church, tornado, tornadoes, tornados, volunteer — hhministries @ 3:29 pm

The site of St. Luke's church

We wanted to share with you some updated information on Hand in Hand’s immediate tornado relief effort in Eastern Kentucky. Our focus is going to be on tornado relief in Salyersville and Magoffin County. These are areas we have worked in since 2005. St. Luke Church was destroyed Friday afternoon by a tornado that also destroyed or damaged more than 100 homes in the area. There were six neighbors who had taken refuge from the storm in the basement of the church and were trapped by debris until rescued (unharmed) about an hour after the storm.

This log cabin was destroyed by the tornado that hit the area.

Helen Pennington ran St. Luke Open Door food bank and clothes closet. It is the only food bank serving Magoffin County. With a 23 percent unemployment rate in Magoffin County, the food bank was vitally important to the area. Fr. Bob Damron, the pastor of St. Luke Church, has already announced plans to rebuild, but it is going to take a long time.

A home in Saylersville that was destroyed by the tornado.

Hand in Hand volunteers renovated St. Luke Church several years ago and continued to provide clothing, food and other items to the food bank. Hand in Hand is helping set up a temporary replacement and is in emergency need of bottled water, non-perishable foods and canned goods. We also need cleaning supplies, diapers, pull-up diapers, adult diapers and personal care items.

We have enough clothes from previous donations and need to focus on the items listed above.

We have also been inundated with requests for home repair and are working on scheduling trips to help as many people as we can. Needless to say, our budget for home repair did not include response to this natural disaster and we need donations to help as many people as possible.

You can donate to us through our secure web site, and you can find the donation page here.

If you want to help us organize a trip to help families in this area, please contact our offices at (502) 459-9030 Monday through Friday during weekday hours. We thank you, as always, for your support.

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Tornado damage in Eastern Kentucky

March 3, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — hhministries @ 2:30 pm

St. Luke’s Church in Salyersville, not far from the Hand in Hand office in Auxier, was leveled by a tornado yesterday.

St. Luke's Church

Hand in Hand volunteers had painted this church a few years ago. The program for mothers and infants operated from this church is one that Hand in Hand has donated items to for years. Many homes in the area were also destroyed or severely damaged.
Salyersville-20120303-00384

Hand in Hand in Auxier will provide coffee, food and a place to rest for victims of the tornadoes, today and tomorrow. We will make further plans as we see what is needed and share this information with you on this blog and on the Hand in Hand facebook page. You can safely donate online using the “donate now” button on any page.

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Auxier activities: something for everyone

February 22, 2012

Filed under: Auxier — Tags: Appalachia, Auxier, classes, community, dinners, donation, Kentucky, volunteer, workshops — hhministries @ 10:06 am

Diners enjoy a meal at the Auxier Center

Our Auxier Center serves an important function in this Appalachian community. It provides a place for people to meet, a food pantry, community meals and a library. We’re proud of the Center and how it operates. We’re posting a list here of all of the activities scheduled for the next few months to give our supporters and friends an idea of all of the things we do there. If you’d like to support the work we do in Auxier, you can donate to us online through our web site: http://www.myhandinhand.org/donate-now.html. There are also immersion trips to Auxier, and you can find dates for those trips here: http://www.myhandinhand.org/Immersion-Trip-Dates.html

Community Dinner
Third Tuesday each month, 6 p.m., FREE. Join us for a delicious meal, dessert and friendship.

Chess Class
Thursdays beginning April 5, 6:30 p.m., FREE. Adults and youth age 12 and older, beginners or advanced.

Family Fun Friday
Third Friday of each month, FREE. Each month something different and lots of fun for the whole family.

Spring & Summer 2012 Classes and Workshops
For the following events and classes, you MUST pre-register at least ONE WEEK in advance. Classes with no one registered will be cancelled. Call (606) 886-0709 for more information.

Second Saturday Kids Camps
Saturdays, 1-3 P.M. Fee: $1
A fun Saturday afternoon for kids, each month a different activity and project.

Choices for Women
Wednesday, March 21, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., FREE
A wonderful workshop from the New Opportunity School for Women focusing on opportunities for women. All attendees receive a goody bag.

FAST TRACK to your own business
Workshop for the budding entrepreneur.
Held 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, March 13 to April 12; five week session; FREE

Coupon Clippers
Held March 8, 5:30 p.m., FREE
Bring your scissors your coupons and we’ll talk about how to save.

Chat’n & Cookin’
Second Tuesday every month beginning in May. 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.; FREE
Join us for easy recipes, samples and fun!

Managing in Tough Times
Held Wednesdays in April, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; also Wednesdays in June, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Learn how to budget, save and plan when you’re pinching pennies.

Basic Computer Class
Held Thursdays beginning March 8, 5 to 7 p.m. (8 sessions)
Fee: $30
Participants who meet income guidelines will receive a computer upon class completion.

Intermediate Computer Class
Thursdays beginning March 8, 5 to 7 p.m. (8 sessions)
Fee: $30

Advanced Computer Class
Saturdays beginning March 10, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (8 sessions)
Fee: $30

Beginning Quilting Classes
March 17 to April 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (4 Sessions)
Fee: $35.00, most materials provided

Intermediate/Advanced Quilting Classes
Tuesdays beginning March 6
Two sessions: 1 to 4 p.m. or 5 to 8 p.m.

Basic Crochet Class
Saturday, April 21, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Fee: $5
Make your own scarf. Materials provided

Land the Job
Mondays in March (4 Sessions); Sessions 1 to 3 p.m. or 6 to 8 p.m.
Fee: $5
Learn how to make a resume, fill out an application, interview skills and other secrets to land the job you want.
Goody bag and prizes for all who complete workshop.

Auxier Center Community Library
Open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or by request

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Watch a house go up in 60 seconds

February 20, 2012

Filed under: Belize — Tags: Belize, Rush University, video — hhministries @ 2:11 pm

The Rush University group that went to Belize in 2011 gave us lots of great photos and thoughts about their trip that we’ve shared with you on this blog, our Facebook page and on Twitter. We were able to follow their trip from start to finish, and show you the results when they got home.

Today, Laurie Catherine, who went on the trip, posted a terrific video on our Facebook wall that shows a house being built from the ground up by her team. She used photos by James Muschamp of our Belize staff to create the video. Thank you, Laurie Catherine, for the video, and thanks to James for snapping the photos.

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Hand in Hand is moving forward

February 17, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized, leadership — Tags: leadership, Libbey Smith, Marla Cautilli, Wayne Fowler — hhministries @ 9:37 am

Editor’s note: We are fortunate to have a committed staff at Hand in Hand that is dedicated to the cause of serving others. As Co-Founder Wayne Fowler continues to focus on his health (as we posted about previously), two others have stepped forward in our organization to take on leadership roles. We wanted to introduce you to them here.

Libbey Smith, left, in Belize

The Board of Directors of Hand in Hand would like to welcome Marla Cautilli and Libbey Smith in their new roles within our organization.

Marla, who served as our Development Director for the past three years has been promoted to the position of Chief Executive Officer. Libbey, who has served as Associate Director for ten years, has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer.

Marla Cautilli, right, on a trip to Belize

They both share a tremendous passion for the work of Hand in Hand and welcome the opportunity to move our organization forward. It is with the utmost confidence and excitement that these appointments have been made. Marla and Libbey have excelled in their roles at Hand in Hand. Their dedication to our mission, along with their ability to inspire others, is well established. We are so very fortunate to have such capable, compassionate and enthusiastic people at the helm as we continue to grow as an effective, powerful organization.

Fully supporting this transition and looking forward to continued growth for Hand in Hand, founder Wayne Fowler will continue to be an important resource. We all wish Wayne and his family much love, support and encouragement as he focuses on the health issues he is now facing.

Thank you for your interest and continued support in Hand in Hand.

Board Co-Chairs
Harry Borders
Fr. Joe Fowler

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A message from Co-Founder Wayne Fowler

February 9, 2012

Filed under: leadership — Tags: leadership, Wayne Fowler — hhministries @ 11:42 am

Editor’s note: In January, we sent this letter to our donors, friends and trip participants to explain the shift in daily leadership of Hand in Hand. We post this letter with our most sincere wishes for Wayne to get well, and fast. We know he has big dreams for Hand in Hand, and we hope that he is around to see them all come to fruition.

Wayne Fowler

In September of last year, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 renal cell cancer. Some of you may remember that in July of 2010, I had my right kidney and adrenal gland removed, both of which were
malignant.

I thought I had dodged a bullet, but on September 1, I was told that a 3 cm mass had reoccurred where my adrenal gland had been. After the mass was removed, I was subsequently found to have a second mass and several nodules in my lungs.

I am currently in a clinical study that is being conducted by the M. D. Anderson Cancer Hospital in Houston, Texas. Every two months, I return to Houston for tests and treatment. In between, I am being treated locally. I feel confident in those who are helping me, and I’ve been told that my prognosis is good. However, my illness has precipitated a change in my ability to work.

I have turned the daily responsibilities for running Hand in Hand over to my longtime assistant Libbey Smith and our development director, Marla Cautilli. I will still be intimately involved in the workings of HHM but at a more strategic level. Hand in Hand has been my life for the past 14 years, and I cannot imagine living without my work and my passion for service.While I am not happy about my circumstances, I have the utmost confidence in Libbey and Marla, and we will continue to be the Hand in Hand that you have known and supported with your generosity.

One thing that will definitely not change is our need for your financial support.We are coming to the end of a three-year grant that helps support our HIV/AIDS work in Belize. In order to maintain the same level of service, we need to make up $55,000 of that grant in 2012 and the same amount in 2013.We are raising money in Belize, but that money will only cover a small part of the amount needed.We need your help in sustaining our services not only in Belize, but in Nicaragua and Appalachia also.

With your support, I am confident that Hand in Hand will continue to thrive.

Peace,

Wayne Fowler

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Watch WAVE-3 on Sunday at 7:25 a.m.

January 27, 2012

Filed under: Nicaragua, media appearances — Tags: Dr. Grimaldi, Marla Cautilli, media, news, Nicaragua, WAVE 3 — hhministries @ 4:24 pm

WAVE-3 will have our very own Marla Cautilli on Sunday morning, January 29 at 7:25 a.m. We’re thrilled to have Marla representing us, and to have the chance to share our story on WAVE-3. She’ll be appearing with Dr. Manolo Grimaldi and Suzanne McGee, who journeyed with a team from the Greater Louisville Medical Society Foundation and Hand in Hand to Nicaragua. Dr. Grimaldi and Susanne will discuss what the team did in Nicaragua, and Marla will help tell the story of Hand in Hand’s work overall, emphasizing upcoming trips.

WAVE 3 also came to the airport to see our team off, and they had Board Chair Harry Borders on in the fall to discuss the Legacy Breakfast. We’re extremely grateful for their help.

Thanks, WAVE 3!

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