Across the Nation, February 2016
ELBA — The Elba Church of Christ served as the hub of disaster relief after flooding recently destroyed or damaged dozens of homes.
The church took information from flood victims seeking help with housing, food and clothing, signed up volunteers and accepted donations of bottled water and nonperishable foods, the Alabama Media Group reported.
“We are definitely in full swing recovery mode,” minister Phillip Box told the news organization.
COLORADO
KEENESBURG — The Keenesburg Church of Christ gave away about 200 coats, blankets, caps, scarves and gloves.
The church’s teen group helped with the recent coat and blanket drive, member Bob Zebroski said.
“Along with the clothing, each person received a booklet providing information on the plan of salvation,” Zebroski said.
INDIANA
EVANSVILLE — The Jack Henry Gates Memorial Community Laundromat has opened for business.
However, the facility will only accept tokens, and they are available for free through a number of local churches, as the Courier & Press recently reported.
The undertaking was started and funded by Dennis Gates, a member of the Newburgh Church of Christ, elder Tracy Hayford said.
Jack Henry Gates — the laundromat’s namesake — was Dennis Gates’ father. He died in 2014.
“We want to give back to the community that has been so good to us for the past 40 years,” Matt Gates, Dennis’ nephew, told the newspaper.
OHIO
BYESVILLE — For a quarter-century, the Stop 9 Church of Christ has provided a free Christmas Day dinner for the poor and lonely in this Appalachian region community.
The event has grown each year, minister Woody Biggs said. At the recent 24th annual Friends Serving Friends Free dinner, 771 meals were served.
“One of my favorite memories was seeing a homeless man sitting at the table sharing a meal with a recently widowed medical doctor,” Biggs said. “The meal became so popular that people from the community come out in droves to help.”
TENNESSEE
LINDEN — Kirk Haston’s mother, Patti, died in a 1999 tornado that hit Perry County.
So after tornadoes devastated his home county again Dec. 23, the Linden Church of Christ member launched a fundraising effort to help victims.
“I was fortunate enough to see what it was like to have hundreds of people in a community come to the aid of my family,” said Haston, a former professional basketball player who now coaches the boys’ team at Perry County High School.
By press time, his effort had raised about $20,000.
