From My FOX Atlanta.com:
Ringgold Residents Get First Look at Damage After Tornado
Updated: Friday, 29 Apr 2011, 8:40 PM EDT Published : Wednesday, 27 Apr 2011, 10:34 PM EDT
By MYFOXATLANTA STAFF/myfoxatlanta
RINGGOLD, Ga. – Residents in Ringgold were allowed to look over their homes and businesses on Friday following deadly storms that hit the area Wednesday night.
During a briefing for reporters held early Friday morning, Catoosa County Sheriff Phil Summers said they plan on allowing residents and business owners to survey their property damaged or destroyed by the violent EF-4 tornado Wednesday night.
Ringgold residents staying at a shelter in Fort Oglethorpe took a bus Friday to Ringgold to get a first look at their property or business after the tornado struck. Red Cross officials say 86 people stayed in the shelter Thursday night, and they plan to stay as long as necessary to help the victims.
Summers said the tornado started at Interstate 75 and went along the road, and then jumped over a ridge line before hitting the Ringgold area. He said the twister was about a mile in diameter.
Excerpt from Ledger-Enguire.com by AP Reporter Ray Henry:
About 30 volunteers mustered by the Poplar Springs Baptist Church helped Lambert and her husband saw through downed trees and stack the wood near the street. After that crew left, two members of a Tennessee church showed up to continue the work. Lambert said those were the only people who had offered to help and said the community needs more assistance. “We’re on our own, totally on our own,” she said.
[tentblogger-youtube hyonrHqWUd0]
Friends of Leveraging Life, I’m sure all of you heard the reports and saw the news about the destruction, devastation, and unfortunately the deaths left in the wake of the tornadoes that riped through the southeast earlier. One community in North Georgia was practically leveled and can use all the help we can collectively provide.
Fellow Roswell High School Alum and friend Shane Craven is a part of the Ringgold community and is at ground zero of the video you just saw as Lead Pastor of Orgin Church in Ringgold. Shane knows keenly what is needed and can coordinate making sure what is donated gets into the hands of those whose needs are the greatest. Shane Craven posted this yesterday:
Disaster Update and How You Can Help
Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 12:08pm.
Response Update:
1. Please re-post to your friends so we can continue the coalition build-up
2. Donations are imperative: Origin Church – PO Box 86- Chatsworth, GA 30705 or online at www.originchurch.tv
3. If churches want to send teams we will need them. Please stay posted to this page for updates on where, when, how
4. Supplies needed- chainsaws, generators, water, flashlights, etc.
5. Origin is working on some other exciting ways to get help for our area
6. My understanding is that UMCOR will begin spearheading a clean-up operation stationed at Ringgold United Methodist Church beginning today. Once we hear from them, we can coordinate all of YOU that want to come and help.
7. This is a good time to ramp up all you, your family, your church, your corporation, your relationships, etc. as in the days to come, many will think it’s all back to normal, when it’s really just getting started.
8. Pray- many have lost lives; many have lost lives in very barbaric ways;
9. YMCA Hamilton Place/Origin Church are coordinating counselors, psychologists, pastors, staff members to be on-site at the Y for Grief Counseling Recovery. If you can volunteer in this area of counseling please let us know- info@originchurch.tv
10. The city is still not opened for access; we expect it any day which will open up the floodgates to help citizens, families, and businesses rebuild their lives.
11. Last but not least- this is a good time for you to leverage your relationships around the globe for this disaster relief meaning funds, celebrity benefit concerts, auctions, teams, etc. etc. Make that phone call today! “Others is what really lasts.” Help us help others!
Think for a minute…one day you have everything and in the blink of an eye it’s all gone….you are starting over from scratch. Where do you begin? Who do you turn to for help? What what you do if it was you?
Here is are three action items I think we can do to leverage what we already have assist Shane and Origin Church family as they serve the Ringgold community.
Empty That Drawer
You know the drawer, we all have them, the one where the gift cards sit…move the scotch tape, the pens that don’t work, see um…there they are….Home Depot, Walmart, Publix, Target, Lowes. If they sit in a drawer and you’ve been meaning to use them you won’t miss them, Shane can get them into the hands of people who can use them right now!
Empty That Garage
Take a look at the list above and see if you have a Chainsaw, Generator, Yard Tools, Flashlights, Batteries, really anything…remember they are starting from scratch so if you were selling something in a garage sale or if you just don’t use it any more it is of value and can be put to good use right now!
Empty That Wallet or Purse
What is spare for you, what is an extravagance you can do without for one week? Starbucks, car wash, salon visit, I’m not sure but something came to mind when you read this and that is how God nudges all of us to help those in need. So if you don’t have spare gift cards I urge you to pick up a gift card or two, because there is a REAL need right now!
Be Bold…Be Generous…Be Grateful It Wasn’t You
I would prefer that the equipment and tools be dropped off at Troncalli Subaruwhere I have room to store them before sending them to Origin Church, but if you can’t get them to me let me know and I’ll make arrangements to have them picked up. If we get enough items where a large truck is needed Mike Langan has offered the use of a Penske truck from his Prestige Auto Gallerylocation in Roswell. Mike also offered to collect gift card donations for those who find the Roswell Holcomb Bridge Road area convenient to drop them off. I will be collecting both equipment and gift cards at my store in South Forsyth. If it is easier to send them directly to Shane please send them c/o Origin Church PO Box 86 Chatsworth, GA 30705.
Thank you in advance for reading this post and caring about those in need. I would appreciate everyone’s prayers for our efforts and for the Ringgold community. I hope you will at least utilize your circle of influence to help spread the word. There are buttons on the side and the bottom of the post making it simple to share on Facebook, Twitter, and via email. Please also consider changing your Facebook status for a day or two to highlight the need and provide a link to this post so people will know how to help as well .
Thanks for reading, sharing, and caring!!
~Tom
trusting God period!!
I have included links at the bottom post & on the side to make it easy to share what is posted here with your friends on Facebook and Twitter…just a click or two on the Sharing is Caring links at the bottom is all it takes!
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