LONG-TERM RECOVERY OF MACON COUNTY
Following the February 5, 2008 tornado which devastated Macon County, TN from one corner to the other, it was quickly evident that the 557 households affected would need coordinated assistance available in order to adequately recover.
The LTRMC was born when over 60 concerned representatives from the community and numerous organizations (half from out-of-state) met on February 25, 2008 to begin an organized long-term local response to the disaster.
The Goals
The Long-Term Recovery of Macon County was formed “to provide cost effective and coordinated delivery of services to ensure that ALL victims receive the maximum amount of assistance in a timely and efficient manner” having equal access to all available resources from one centralized delivery system.
It was determined that the primary focus of the organization should be to restore affected citizens to a home comparable to the one they had before the disaster as much as funds and resources permit.
The intent of the LTRMC is to not only provide services throughout this long-term recovery process but to have in place a functioning recovery organization should another local disaster occur in the future.
The Organization
This recovery organization is composed entirely of volunteers representing over 60 governmental agencies, not-for-profit agencies, community civic and service groups, religious and educational groups, and individual citizens. It functions independently from any participating group and is exclusively for the benefit of the community.
The LTRMC is a non-profit organization which is currently utilizing the local Macon Helps organization as its 501 (C)(3) tax exempt fiscal agent. State and federal EIN numbers have been gained. The organization has received recent approval for incorporation by the state, is registered with the Macon County Register of Deeds, and is accepting nominations for its board of directors.
The officers are: Terry Gillim, President; Vickie Henderson, Vice-President; Rita Meador, Secretary; Ralph Wheaton, Treasurer; Ed Swanson, Volunteer Coordinator; Russell Cain, Case Manager Coordinator; and Mark Templeton, Unmet Needs Coordinator.
The LTRMC office is located at 668 Highway 52 ByPass West (in the old State Farm office building between Ben Bray Real Estate and Auction and the Lafayette Church of God). Mail is received through P. O. Box 715, Lafayette TN 37083. The organization can be contacted by calling 615-666-9714. Since office volunteers are in short supply, an answering machine may take your name, number, and reason for calling, and your call will be returned as promptly as possible. Contact can also be made by e-mail at
LTRMC@nctc.com. To find out more about the organization, access the website at www.LTRMC.org.
Funding
100% of the LTRMC funding is used for providing help to the tornado victims. Funding to assist disaster affected citizens comes primarily from donations with additional funding coming from community fundraising events, grants, and other located sources. Funds to run the organization itself (rent, utilities, office supplies, etc.) have come from donations and grants.
Funds are maintained by the LTRMC treasurer; tax exempt funds are initially maintained by the Macon Helps representative. No funds can be accessed or utilized without two authorized signatures, and all expenditures must ultimately be approved by the organization.
The Community Foundation of Middle TN, the TN Baptist Convention, the Bledsoe Baptist Association, the Lutheran Disaster Services, United Methodist Committee on Relief, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, the Lafayette Assembly of God, Immanuel Baptist Church, The TN Conference of United Methodists, the Lafayette United Methodist Church, the LUMC Welch Family Disaster Fund, and the TN Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, and other individuals have all contributed substantially. The local Lions Club and the Xi Gamma Pi chapter of Beta Sigma Phi have also provided needed financial support. The Jett Williams Fund and the donations made through the local banks may also be available to the LTRMC as needs arise.
Assistance
The first step for victims to gain assistance is to contact the LTRMC. Trained case management is in place to assist the victims in assessing their needs and goals and to help connect available resources with those needs.
The case managers utilize FEMA’s CAN system to assure that each disaster claim is genuine, to assure that there is no duplication of services among organizations, to expedite the assistance process, and to coordinate transfers and services with the long-term recovery organizations in other counties and states. Information on each case is kept confidential.
The services provided vary with each family according to their remaining needs not met by their own resources, FEMA funds, Red Cross funds, other available resources, or by their insurance reimbursement.
The LTRMC coordinates and utilizes available volunteer services, available funds, and available supplies and resources first before purchasing any remaining needed supplies, services, and labor to help meet the existing needs. This organization does not make direct financial payment to the families but rather approves and reimburses vouchers for needed goods and services through participating merchants.
The organization strives primarily to be of benefit to the recovering citizens by working cooperatively with all facets of the community. The LTRMC has worked with local churches and other organizations to coordinate the dispersal of various donated items and services. Through the efforts of the LTRMC, counseling has been coordinated and disaster preparedness and recovery trainings have been provided. The organization is also working with FEMA in their provision of mobile homes within the county. The recovery group has tried to help families to peacefully resolve their unsettled insurance claims by involving the assistance of the state insurance director and investigators.
Volunteers
There have been many individuals, groups, and organizations volunteering thousands of hours of service in our community since the tornado. The volunteers have been exceptional in their caring, hard work, and quality of work.
The LTRMC has directly coordinated the volunteer services for over 300 volunteers from at least 17 organizations since March. More volunteers are already scheduled for the remaining summer months.
The Christian Reform World Relief Committee (“green shirts”), the National Relief Network, the Lutheran Disaster Services, the Methodist Volunteers in Mission, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Interact groups, and other groups (hailing from Tennessee, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky, Virginia, Florida, and Mississippi) have all worked through the LTRMC to provide numerous volunteers for services such as: local farm and land cleanup, rebuilding, repairs, electrical, drywall, and roofing.
The Weaverland Disaster Services has coordinated volunteers from Mennonite churches in Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Missouri through the LTRMC to provide significant volunteer construction services such as fencing, repairing, and rebuilding across the county.
Some volunteer groups were here for one day while others were in the county for a week and needed local housing (including restrooms and showers) and meals while here which were all arranged through the LTRMC. The Jubilee Worship Center in Westmoreland, the Hartsville Pike Church of Christ, the Lafayette Church of Christ, the Lafayette First Baptist Church, and the New Life Baptist Church all have assisted with housing for the volunteers. The VFW Ladies Auxillary, the Lions Club, Holy Father Catholic Church, and the Lafayette Church of Christ helped to provide meals for the volunteers.
Cleanup efforts coordinated through the LTRMC have been diverse. Farms and residential areas both have received cleanup assistance such as: windblown storm debris, lumber and metal sorting, and partially standing structure demolition. The LTRMC has not been able to assist with the removal of large trees until this month as no volunteered large equipment has been available.
Through the LTRMC some homes and mobile homes have been totally rebuilt, and some have had the interior totally reconstructed. Some have had porches, decks, and handicapped access ramps constructed while some have required roof rebuilding or repair. Drywall, painting, siding, insulation, flooring, and electrical are other services that have been provided through the LTRMC efforts.
The LTRMC has endeavored to coordinate the ever-changing worksite needs with volunteers available at particular times and with particular skills. Foremost the LTRMC wants to meet the current needs of each of the victims. At times no volunteer help is needed while at other times a quantity of help or specific help is needed quickly. The LTRMC wants to make the most of each volunteer’s time, energies, skills, and age. To do this the LTRMC needs to be made aware of potential volunteers well in advance of the time they can volunteer so appropriate scheduling can be done.
Organizations wishing to provide assistance in our community are encouraged to work with and through the LTRMC so that all efforts are maximized and services are not duplicated.
Have Needs?
Some large equipment will be available for 3 or 4 days at the end of July to help remove large trees and major debris. Anyone needing assistance with the removal of large disaster debris is encouraged to call the LTRMC as soon as possible for scheduling.
Any disaster family who needs farm or lawn cleanup, house repair or rebuilding, or has other needs is encouraged to call the LTRMC for assistance. Any disaster family in need of a new electric water heater should contact the LTRMC as a large number of units have been donated.
Want to Donate or Help?
Financial donations to assist disaster affected citizens or to assist the LTRMC organization can be made directly to the LTRMC through one of the officers. A tax exempt donation can be made to the LTRMC through Macon Helps (see Anna Dean Carter). Financial donations can also be made at any local bank. To donate other types of assistance, contact the LTRMC office or one of the officers.
Any person or group wishing to volunteer their services should call the LTRMC. Additional volunteers to be case managers, to do data entry, or to work in the LTRMC office are always needed.
Thanks!
The LTRMC would like to thank every person and group who have contributed in some way to the recovery of our community whether mentioned specifically in this article or not. The outpouring of caring volunteers, supplies, services, and donations has been truly heart-warming and humbling.
