CLAREMORE, Okla. — Dozens of volunteers from across the state are in Green Country this week helping with storm recovery. The Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief team has been working non-stop to help families in need.
“It’s the most widespread damage we’ve worked except for the hurricanes,” said State Chainsaw Coordinator Danny Cotner.
Danny Cotner and his team have had all hands on deck since Sunday, cleaning up storm debris and removing fallen trees after this weekend’s storms.
“We try to start with high priority, trees on house, trees blocking driveways, trees on cars,” said Cotner.
Cotner has been working with Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief since 2005. He heads up their chainsaw team. On Thursday, Joan Sherwood’s home took priority.
“I bet I hadn’t been in bed 2 minutes when the wind hit and it hit with such a horrible force,” said Joan Sherwood.
She says the storms rattled her home and dumped a giant tree on her roof.
“It sounded like an explosion on the north side of the home," said Sherwood.
She says there’s no way she would’ve been able to get the damage cleaned up alone.
“It means the world to me because it’s peace of mind knowing that people are willing to help people,” said Sherwood.
Cotner says it’s part of their mission.
“It’s just our way of giving back,” said Cotner. “The Lord’s blessed up and has given us the equipment and ability to do it and so it’s an opportunity to give back and do what we’re called to do, love God and love others.”
The relief team isn’t only helping with trees. At First Baptist Owasso, they’re preparing thousands of meals.
“There’s a lot of people without electricity,” said Incident Commander Kenneth Taylor. “They don’t have food. They had to dump everything in their refrigerators so they’re looking for something right now, so this is what we’re trying to offer for them.”
Kenneth Taylor is heading up the group preparing 1,600 lunches and 1,600 dinners each day. They hand them over to the Red Cross who passes out the food to neighbors in need.
The team says they’ll be helping in our local communities for weeks. If you need assistance click here.
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