2 Florida United Methodist Review Online

Too many disasters spread volunteers thin

By Michael Wacht

LAKELAND -- In 1998 alone, Florida received a record six federal disaster designations with volunteers called to all parts of the state to help in recovery and rebuilding efforts. And while the need is increasing, the supply of volunteers is dwindling.

"In the last 18 months, there have been so many disasters in so many areas," said Tom Griner, the Florida Conference United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) coordinator. "The people that respond are divided among 10 disasters in the rebuild stage."

Seven months after last February's tornadoes in Central Florida, the rebuilding is now in high gear. Relief groups in Kissimmee and Winter Garden are asking for volunteer work teams to help with everything from total house rebuilds to installing kitchen cabinets.

Their requests for help aren't the only ones, however. Relief groups are trying to meet needs caused by the Florida wildfires last July; tornadoes in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Pennsylvania; Hurricane Bonnie in North Carolina and Virginia; drought and flooding in Texas; and now Hurricane Georges in the Caribbean, Florida Keys, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.

"We're having problems, no question about it," Griner said. "We've used up the time of our normal UMVIM players. We have had 28 or 29 teams that have committed, but we need 100 teams."

Griner says one reason for the lack of volunteers is a lack of publicity. "There's no visibility, and people forget that there are still people hurting and in need," he said.

Another problem is lack of flexibility. Griner says UMVIM has a set procedure for accepting volunteer missionaries, which includes getting the blessing of the pastor. That takes time. Also, many volunteers are working people who donate their vacation time and have to plan well in advance.

"I don't see it as apathy. I see it as lack of understanding of the need," he said.

Griner said UMVIM is trying different ways to recruit and motivate volunteers from local churches. Small and medium-sized churches that can't send an entire team are being paired with other groups and teams. Individual volunteers are also being accepted and assigned to larger groups.

"We accept anybody who feels they can come and help," Griner said, adding that UMVIM accepts volunteers regardless of skill level, training or previous experience.

"Any church that sends a team out is a vibrant, alive, aggressive church," Griner says. "They're the winners in this. It makes the church stronger."

(Churches or individuals interested in assisting with disaster recovery efforts through UMVIM short-term mission work should contact Tom Griner at 352-326-5672.)