PRESS RELEASE
Update: More Minnesota, North Dakota Volunteers Assist
in Kansas Tornado Relief
July 10, 2007 --Two more volunteers from The Salvation Army Northern Division will assist with relief efforts in Greensburg, Kan. after a mile-wide tornado with 200 mph-plus winds flattened the town May 4.
Twin Cities volunteer Linda Kammerer will serve in Greensburg this week as a warehouse worker and emotional and spiritual care provider. Al Materi (pictured, left) of Bismarck, N.D. will be redeployed July 16. Last month he spent a week providing emotional and spiritual care, and social service assistance, to displaced residents of this southern Kansas city.
Salvation Army Emotional & Spiritual Care Providers are trained volunteers who offer comfort through prayer, referral services and emotional support.
Salvation Army service centers have been established in the nearby towns of Pratt and Haviland. The centers offer free household goods, clothing, food, emotional support and more.
Salvation Army Major Don Tekautz (pictured, right) of Maplewood, Minn. returned from volunteering in Greensburg a few weeks ago.
“I was pretty emotional about this disaster because I’m a Kansas boy,” said Tekautz, who was born in Wichita, about 100 miles east of Greensburg. “I called to volunteer the day the tornado happened.”
He spent daytime hours in Haviland providing emotional and spiritual support to displaced families and individuals.
“Afterward, I’d go to Greensburg and help serve dinner, clean up and prepare food for the next day,” Tekautz said.
The Salvation Army is scheduled to provide relief to residents of Greensburg and surrounding communities for one year.
Financial donations to assist the Greensburg tornado victims are still desperately needed. To volunteer with The Salvation Army or to make a credit card donation, call 651-746-3400 or 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Checks made out to The Salvation Army may be sent to 2445 Prior Ave., Roseville, MN 55113. Click below to make an online donation.
