Christian Aid and Relief holds first Relief Trailer Coordinators Conference

WELS Christians aid and relief held its first ever relief trailer coordinators conference on April 4-5, 2014 in Milwaukee.

CA&R created their disaster relief trailer program in 2004 after multiple hurricanes hit Florida and the gulf coast that year. Two initial trailers were purchased and maintained at WELS congregations in Bradenton, FL and Mobile, AL. Church member coordinators for those trailers were appointed with the responsibility to coordinate the delivery of the trailer to disaster response sites as needed and to oversee the maintenance and upkeep of the trailers and equipment.

In 2010 a third trailer was purchased and located in Appleton, WI. In 2012 a fourth trailer was purchased and located in Stillwater, MN. And, in 2013 a fifth trailer was purchased and located in Oskaloosa, IA. Until this conference, the coordinators of these trailers had never met in person as a group. All of the trailers and coordinators have assisted CA&R volunteer disaster relief projects over the years except our newest trailer and coordinator in Oskaloosa.

CA&R Director of Operations, Mark Vance, explains the value of the conference this way; “Our trailer coordinators are all wonderfully dedicated Christ-like servants in their congregations. They are true leaders who stepped forward and said “this is a way I want to serve our synod and our Lord.” CA&R has done our best (with the help of some generous donors) to equip these guys with everything they needed to do that, everything except a way to build a network of resources to expand and enhance their relief service opportunities in their local communities. That is what this conference was all about. We wanted to give them a chance to build a relational network among themselves and then give them a network of local and national resources that they could tap into as they strengthened their local disaster relief preparedness and response efforts.”

The conference was seen to be a good foundational start for the coordinators and all agreed that these conferences should continue if possible on a yearly basis with future conferences focusing on disaster relief equipment, safety, and leadership training.

CA&R wishes to thank the Antioch Foundation for funding this conference and all of the presenters listed below who helped make this conference such a success.

Steve and Beth Zambo

Mr. Neil Hankwitz (Kingdom Workers)

Pastor Robert Hein

Dr. Myles Tonnacliff (WLCFS)

Pastor Richard Warnecke

Prof. John Schuetze (WLCFS)

Mr. Paul Wittkamp

Also, our deep appreciation for our trailer coordinators:

Mr. Robert Kaylor (Saving Grace, Mobile, AL)

Mr. Jay Franklin (Victory, Jacksonville, FL)

Mr. David Bunnow, (Bethany, Appleton, WI)

Mr. Dennis Palmberg (Salem, Stillwater, MN)

Mr. David Pfeifer, Grace, Oskaloosa, IA)