Fellowship of Christian Farmers providing tornado relief
Mar 12, 2008 11:10 AM
The Fellowship of Christian Farmers, International, has announced a campaign to help farmers and ranchers in Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky clean up and re-build following damage from tornadoes which struck Feb. 5.
The tornadoes reached EF-4 and were on the ground for over an hour following I-40 from Memphis to northeast of Nashville. The Fellowship of Christian Farmers is organizing its relief effort for Macon, Sumner and Trousdale counties in Tennessee.
Downed trees will be cleared and temporary repairs made to homes. Trash spread across fields and hay ground will need to be removed ahead of the spring planting. Electric fences and high tensile fences being used in pastures for cattle grazing need to be re-built.
College agriculture students are invited to spend their spring breaks in Lafayette, Tenn., where lodging and meals has been procured for the duration of their stays.
Over 550 FCA volunteers from 12 states responded to help rebuild south Louisiana farms following Hurricane Rita in September 2005 and in the four counties surrounding Greensburg, Kan., in May 2007.
Melvin Bell, FCFI rapid response coordinator, will organize work projects and assess what types of equipment will be shipped to Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky for the clean-up campaign. Mark Beeler, retired Trousdale County Extension director, is the on-site co-ordinator for FCFI.
The Fellowship of Christian Farmers, International is a 501(3)(C) non-profit organization headquartered in Lexington, Ill.
For more information contact: Dennis Schlagel, FCFI, (309) 530-7004, fellowship@fcfi.org, www.fcfi.org; Melvin Bell, FCFI rapid response co-ordinator, (217) 249-2549, mmbell@tswireless.net; or John Adams, FCFI rapid response co-ordinator, (502) 241-4122.
