09 Jun Providing Relief After the Tornado

Mainstreet Church (Walbridge, Ohio) has been tirelessly involved in relief efforts following the tornado which ripped through the area last Saturday night (June 5). Church people have been preparing and delivering food, collecting and storing supplies, providing shelter, clearing debris, and much more.

“The pictures on TV don’t do justice to the devastation,” says Pastor Pennington. “When you’re standing in the middle of it, you’re in awe of the devastation.”

Mainstreet’s previous facility, which they still own, is known as the 705 Campus. The current facility, to which they relocated in 2007, is known as the 795 Campus; it sustained heavy damage.

The 705 Campus is an official Red Cross distribution center, open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. All kinds of supplies have been collected there. Volunteers check in at 9 a.m. and are sent throughout the area. Men with chainsaws are especially needed to cut up all the trees and limbs laying everywhere.

On Tuesday, June 8, they put out an appeal for garbage bags, bug spray, rope, work gloves, laundry baskets, brooms, sun screen, plastic silverware, plastic cups, gift cards, and lunch supplies, among other things.

The 705 Campus is filled with donated clothing. They are not accepting any more clothing.

The church has hosted numerous volunteers from throughout Ohio and Michigan. One man, a retired construction worker, came up from El Paso, Texas. He just wanted to help.