BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — After months of volunteering at tornado disaster sites around Oklahoma, the Washington-Osage Disaster Relief team needs some help.
Volunteers looked at the equipment back at their shop and started to make repairs.
"It’s one of those deals where you have to be here and ready to go," said Director of Missions Monty Hale.
He said they are quick to jump to help but need functioning equipment.
"These guys are volunteers. The average age of our group is 70, and they are out in the heat all the time doing the work," Hale said.
But now they’re hoping to get some help with the cost of the repairs.
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The nonprofit relies on donations to offer its free services.
"They wear out pretty quick because they are just everywhere with them. A lot of them have great big trees and that kind of thing," said Hale.
Morris, Marietta, Sulphur, Holdenville, Barnsdall, Bartlesville, Claremore, Pryor, and Salina are among many other Oklahoma communities helped by the group.
Three months later, their equipment took a beating.
"Probably three or four days after a big job clean them all up. This is the first time they have been able to do that in the last two or three months because it’s just been an everyday thing," said Hale.
As they work to clean them up, it also gives the crew a moment to rest, taking to Bible study to talk things out.
"We’ll have up to 20 to 25 guys who will show up on Mondays and that helps them a lot to deal with what they’ve been seeing, and it’s been pretty tough in some situations," said Hale.
But as they cleaned the equipment. They’re remembering why they do what they do.
"You know the Bible has told us to go in and take care of those in need. Those who are in disaster are really a motivation of that. It’s not for our own glory or anything like that. It’s for the glory of the Lord Jesus," said Hale.
They worked hard to get everything fixed, even ditching a couple of chainsaws that couldn’t be repaired.
It’s all to get this trailer back on the road to another disaster situation so that they can help out other communities.
If you want to donate to help them with repair costs and the purchase of a new truck, they set up a GoFundMe.
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