Osceola County Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Help Victims of Hurricane Michael in Florida’s Panhandle

Image Credit: Justin Rucker

Friday to Sunday October 19-21, 2018 

About 165 members of the Orlando Florida Hunters Creek Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints joined with more than 3.000 members of the Church from the Southeast US who traveled at their own expense, and donned their familiar yellow “Helping-Hands” shirts Friday evening to begin work on Saturday (October 20, 2018), with chainsaws, trailers, tarps and anything else useful for recovery efforts.

Members of the Hunters Creek Stake were assigned to labor about an hour west of Tallahassee, close to the borders of Alabama and Georgia in the hard hit Town of Alford. Alford is a community of about 500, about a 1.25 hour drive west of Tallahassee on the south side of Interstate 10.  Alford is in desperate need of assistance; clearing trees, tarping roofs, mucking out homes, raking, shoveling, debris, cleaning up and making piles on the street for removal.

Elder Bednar in Marianna, FL-Image Credit: Carlos Palomino 

Members of the Church camped Saturday night, and attended an early Sacrament Meeting (7:15) at the Marianna Chipola College, which is served as the command center for Church efforts.  Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of The Twelve Apostles presided at the Sunday morning sacrament meeting service, providing words of comfort and encouragement to all present.

About 165 members of The Hunters Creek Stake were in Marianna on Saturday, and continued their service to hard-hit areas of Alford and Vernon, Florida on Sunday before returning to their homes and families. It is estimated that they provided more the 2500 hours of service.

The Hunters Creek Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is located in Orlando, and comprises 9 congregations, called “Wards”.  President Ryan Munns, responding to a request from South-East Area Authorities of the Church, placed the call-to-service for this weekend.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues to respond to those impacted by Hurricane Michael and Florence. As stated by the Church in its official statement to the media, “...help & supplies will be offered to any who are in need. We will continue to monitor the situation including the needs for additional supplies, resources and volunteers” (mormonnewsroom.org)

Official Church Video: https://youtu.be/NI9gwExt_34 “Latter-day Saint Leaders Visit Hurricane Survivors in the Carolinas and Florida”

Posted by:

Jay Egg 727.423.8462

High Councilor for Public Affairs

Hunter Creek Stake

Orlando, Florida

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints