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Jun 13, 2011 | Luke Blount

St. John the Divine Donates $5,000 for St. Luke's Tornado Relief

Tornado St. Luke'sSt. Luke's on the Lake junior warden Allen Griswold just returned from his third trip to help the tornado ravaged rural populations of Mississippi and Alabama. The Austin church has been raising money and donations since the early days after the storm. 

 

Recently, St. John the Divine, Houston, donated $5,000 to St. Luke's efforts, and Griswold was able to purchase hearing aids for a deaf man in Phil Campbell, Alabama, whose home was destroyed by the storms that swept across the south at the end of April. 

 

"We are eternally grateful for the donation from St. John the Divine," Griswold said. But he reiterated that there is still much work to be done.

 

"I am sending a desperate plea out for food, money, and Lowe's gift cards" he said. "Its one thing to have a city with neighboring communities hit by a tornado, because there are still grocery stores and businesses operating in the area. These communities don't have that. When you wipe them out, they are really wiped out."  

 

According to Griswold, the FEMA distribution center, once stocked to the brim with food and supplies is now closed, and the Church of Christ that operated as a food distribution center is running out of supplies as well.

 

In three trips, St. Luke's has donated three trailer-loads of food and supplies. They purchased a car for the school's driver's education program, and provided cash for local community and religious leaders to help their struggling population. The hearing aids purchased on the most recent trip were for a legally deaf man who was living with his elderly mother who is also legally deaf. Neither one of heard the tornado coming until their home began to fall apart. Griswold hopes to get hearing aids for the man's mother whom the community refers to as "Aunt Jenny."

 

There is also a need to purchase lawn equipment for the high school in addition to the basic needs of food and other supplies. Griswold is asking specifically for Lowe's gift cards (there is not a Home Depot in the area) so that the community can organize deliveries of rebuilding supplies. 

 

Donations can be sent to St. Luke's on the Lake. Be sure to write "Tornado Relief" in the memo line. Visit www.stlukesonthelake.org or send donations to:

 

St. Luke's on the Lake

5600 Ranch Road
 620 North  
Austin, TX  78732 

 

With questions, call St. Luke's office at 512-266-2455 or Allen Griswold at 512-470-2923.