EMERGENCY me...” mouth. line. “The work they are doing for people like me is just wonder- ful,’ said an elderly widow as she told of volunteer assistance in cleaning her home. She could have been talking of either of two groups that have been help- ing the aged and infirm people get their houses cleaned of inches of mud and debris caused by the flood. The two groups are the Men- nonites, from the North Penn Valley area, and residents from State Correctional Institution, ‘Dallas. A Mennonite Disaster Ser- vice, under the direction of Noah Kolb, has been set up in Palmer School, Wilkes-Barre. Some 100 ‘to 150 Mennonites drive up in caravans each day to offer their volunteer assistance to those who can not ‘clean their homes for them- selves. Mr. Kolb reported that school buses bring the majority of the women and men, and six pick- up trucks are used to transport The long caravan starts out in early morning from Lansdale, and returns the people to their homes in the evening. There are usually two to five buses per day, and, according to the young director, each bus- load will clean six to eight homes per day. Most of these are in the Wilkes-Barre and Hanover areas, but two days were spent on homes in King- ston. “Our priorities are to help those who really need help,” said Mr. Kolb. “The American Red Cross screens the needy ones for us and coordinates the work for us. We try to check out the houses to get a prospective before moving the cleaning crew in.” The calm and unassuming Mennonites seem to bring a note of cheer to the elderly people they assist. Said one couple, “Before they left our home they all said a prayer. They're won- derful people.” Mr. Kolb said that church members do try to remember that people are made up of spir- itual, emotional, mental and physical aspects and that they try to pay attention to all these areas. In the Wyoming Valley ra- _vaged area, the Mennonites began their clean-up detail July 1. On July 4, there were over 325 men and women who came to this area to clean homes. Most days there are 100 to 150 Men- nonites. Mennonite Disaster Service started originally when Stroudsburg suffered flood damage in 1954 after Hurri- cane Hazel, and it developed from there. It is now a national organization through Mennonite churches, which are located coast to coast. The Mennonite Disaster Service and American Red Cross have a national agreement, whereby leads to those needing help are given to MDS by the Red Cross. Joe Sheriden, director of the Palmer School Red Cross Center, stated criteria for selec- who cannot help themselves— widows, infirm, and the aged. However, he added, the Red Cross does not say ‘no’ to any- one. “We explain what Mennonite Disaster Service is, and then we let their conscience be their guide. If anyone tells us they need help in cleaning, we give their name and address to MDS, and the work is done.” The Mennonite Central Com- mittee, an international relief and service organization with a history of world relief dating back to 1920, is the coordinating agency for Mennonite Disaster Service, whose headquarters is located in Akron, Pa. The Bible says: ‘Bear ye one another’s burdens . . . ”’ This is a part of the Mennonite creed. A 72-year-old black lung vic- tim said of the residents from State Correctional Institution, “My home was in terrible shape and these men in the work crew did a fantastic job. I can never repay their kindness to me. with me.” Supt. Leonard J. Mack re- ported there are usually eight work crews each day, with the exception of Sunday, and there are five to six men in eaéh crew. Each crew, supervised by a staff member from the institu- tion, goes into a widow’s or cleans that home until it is made habitable. A member of the family is required to be pre- sent in the home at all times. The institution residents have volunteered to do not only this service, but also serve in soup tail at West Side Vocational-Te- chnical School. Residents used in the out- standing work services are: Harvey Day, Monroe Harrell, Robert VanWert, Henry Frank- lin, Leon McClendon, Gregory Ward, Paul Gasper, Luis Vas- quez, Earl Brickhouse, Pedro Gonzales, Eligio Martinez, Ronald Bovell, Norman Wren, John Arrington, Henry Bickley. Also Andre Eaton, Antonio Morales, James Calpin, Sam- mie Harris, Samuel Smith, Ed- ward Tucker, Daniel Williams, Emanuel Goodwin, Charles Cunningham, Isaiah Sykes, George Quinn, Walter Brown, James Clardy, Dennison Pierce. Gerald Gorsline, Larry Metz, Richard Nowaczynski, Paul Sicher, William Fritz, Jackie Baldwin, Wayne Williams, Ron- nie Tricochi, Willie Barthell, Richard Tucker, Lewis Virola, Wren Peterson, Russell Quack- enbush, Romaine Lovell, Eliu Ortiz; Rafael Valez, Joseph Cautz, Alfred Aquila, O’Dell Stanks, Richard Zwolinski, John Epps, Ronald Butler, Robert Jones, Alfred Bueford, Richard Jones and Curtis Thompson. Institution personnel used in community flood relief to date are: ‘Francis Patts, Eugene Halchak, Michael Kobus, George Krall, Edward Savage, Jay Ruckel, Joseph Desuta, Ed- Stanley Georgeas, Thomas Figmik. Also Jay Miller, John G. Mack, Robert Price, Andrew Wallo, John Kropiewnicki, Joseph Chiumento, David Sear- foss, Thomas Wasilewski, and Christopher Gipe. There are other groups and organizations who are helping flood victims to clean up. More than 500 volunteers from con- gregations as far away as Phil- adelphia took part in a “cleanup help’ project, coordinated through the Metropolitan Lutheran Council’s flood relief headquarters at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Wilkes- Barre. Particular emphasis was placed on helping the elderly. National Guard units are doing a great deal of the stree cleaning. : Debris clings to foundations and portion of Kingston’s North Street Bridge that were left standing after waters of Susque- hanna receded. he hy / 1 5 Ley ’ i a Lopr 2 Yosrsop : 289 flor » Hem Yu . 5 : Pres £ MY for Azo. 5 % Hwy of vo EL : — 2 Dyr Conn Hes Co TT — a Dept of Puble Typical of hurriedly created offices, these signs in the Palmer School in Wilkes-Barre direct flood victims toward a host of ser- vices. Evacuees’ Whereabouts Sought by Red Crogs An urgent plea has been made to all evacuees, particulerly those housed with private families, to notify authorities of the American Red Cross as to where they are. The locations of approximately 400 families who were evacuated from flooded areas are still not known. Many of these people are eligible for various types of disaster assistance and are also being sought by relatives, friends and neighbors. Evacuees are asked to please register immediately at ‘the nearest. evacuation center or church. : A form is included below for evacuee’s convenience in registering. NAME NUMBER IN FAMILY PLEASE LIST: 5. ADDRESS: STREET: TOWN:
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers