Springfield | Over the past few months Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief (IBDR) teams have been busy responding to callouts caused by high winds and flooding here at home and out-of-state in Iowa, Missouri, and Texas. Now, volunteers are on alert to return to Iowa where over the last few days, storms have dumped more than 18 inches of rain in the northwestern part of the state flooding towns, topping levees, and even causing a Sioux City railroad bridge to collapse.
Arnold Ramage
IBDR State Coordinator Arnold Ramage said a shower trailer from Franklin Baptist Association “was dispatched to Correctionville, Iowa” on June 26 where it will be placed at “a shelter for use by local residents” displaced by flooding. Correctionville sits along the Little Sioux River and, according to Wikipedia, received its unusual moniker for its location on a surveyor’s correction line.
Forecasters are expecting the flooding in Iowa to break records set in 1993 and IBDR is preparing accordingly. “We anticipate a full response within a couple of weeks as water levels recede,” Ramage said. “Currently, we are in need of volunteers to serve with the shower trailer.” Credentialed IBDR volunteers wishing to serve may contact Ramage at (618) 889-1938.
The next IBDR training will be August 23-24 at Lake Sallateeska Baptist Camp in rural Pinckeyville. Registration details are yet to be posted. For more information about IBDR, to complete IBDR 101 training online, renew your badge, and more, visit IBSA.org/ministries/disaster-relief/.
IBDR has more than 450 trained volunteers who serve on chainsaw and flood recovery teams, with shower, laundry, and food service, and at every callout, as chaplains. IBDR is a partner with Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, part of the SBC’s Send Relief compassion ministry. It is the third largest disaster relief organization, after the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.
IBDR is a volunteer organization ministering with the Illinois Baptist State Association.