Flood relief efforts continue across Vermont, especially in the hardest-hit areas around Montpelier and Barre.
On July 16, the constellation congregations of St. Paul’s, Vergennes and All Saints, South Burlington assembled two car loads of buckets of cleaning supplies and packets of personal hygiene materials for delivery to Christ Church, Montpelier. From there, the supplies were distributed to people in need in Montpelier and Barre. Some of the hygiene kits were taken to the disaster shelter at the Barre Auditorium.
“They started flying off the table before we had finished laying them out,” the Rev. Beth Ann Maier, deacon at Christ Church and Church of the Good Shepherd in Barre, said.
Mike Moseley, a member of St. Mark’s, Newport, delivered a barn fan, and St. Mark’s and St James, Essex Junction needed a truck and three cars to transport all the water they collected for relief locations in Montpelier and Barre. Bishop Shannon and her family brought several more cases of water and snacks.
Last weekend, volunteers from St Paul’s, White River Junction arrived at Christ Church, complete with particle masks, to help clear out flooded indoor spaces.
All Saints, South Burlington joined other congregations in making a significant contribution in matching funds from their outreach budget to the diocesan flood relief program.
The Rev. Lucy Pellegrini, deacon at St. Paul’s, said, “The resilience of communities and the volunteer efforts are inspiring and uplifting as so many who have lost so much reach out to help neighbors who have lost even more. Such generosity of spirit and examples of Christ’s hands in the world.”
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top image: The Rev. Peggy Mathauer, Erin Kranichfeld, the Rev. Bram Kranichfeld, and the Rev. Lucy Pellegríni of All Saints, South Burlington and St. Paul’s Vergennes brought buckets of cleaning supplies that the Rev. Beth Ann Maier of Christ Church, Montpelier and Good Shepherd, Barre distributed to those affected by the flood.