Hurricane season wreaks widespread destruction of UU properties throughout the South

The Friendship Fellowship at Pineda, FL was rendered uninhabitable by hurricane Charley.

As the third major hurricane of 2004 continued to make its way through the southern United States, dumping inches of rain and causing mudslides and wind damage throughout the south, Unitarian Universalist congregations are trying to recover from damage to property, lives and spirits.

Florida has been pummeled by three hurricanes in the last six weeks, starting with Hurricane Charley, then Frances and this week, Ivan. District Executive Mary Higgins wrote in a Sept. 16 letter to Florida UU congregations, “The effects of storms that are at these levels leave devastation that is hard to explain; in fact, when we try to, we realize the futility of words. What we are also beginning to know is [that] although things will feel normal for us in the future they will not be the same…”

Rev. Mary Higgins

Higgins chronicled the widespread destruction in the district, which has claimed one UU congregation building, damaged many others, and taken one UU life. The UU Fellowship of Charlotte County, serving Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda and the surrounding area, sadly recorded the death of one of its members due to the storm. While the congregation is in the process of planning a memorial service for their beloved member, they must also face the destruction and significant damamge of many of their members' homes and damage to their church building as well. In a spirit of support that mirrored the interdependence of the larger Unitarian Universalist community in Florida, cleanup and repairs around the church have been aided by the Miami, River of Grass, Venice, Sarasota, Lakeland, Tampa, and Spirit of Life UU congregations.

The congregations in Orlando, East Orlando and Daytona Beach found massive tree damage in their areas; crews from the Gainesville UU congregation arrived to help with that clean-up and buildings were, fortunately, not damaged. The Deland’s congregation's building suffered tree damage and some home damage, but the real concern is the flooding of members’ homes as the St. John River crests and goes above flood stage.

The UU Church of Jacksonville suffered roof damage, and rain damage to members’ homes has been widespread. The UU Fellowship of Vero Beach suffered tree and debris damage at the Fellowship itself; worse by far is the destruction of the homes of some of the congregation’s members. Other homes have been heavily damaged as a result of flooding and wind gusts. UUs from other parts of the district have been working with volunteers wielding chain saws in this area to help members clean up the damage.

Destruction in Pensacola Beach, FL after Hurricane Ivan Photo © 2004 Reuters

Higgins wrote, “We have been in the thoughts of congregations and colleagues from throughout the UUA for the past weeks. The UU Trauma Response Team came down and worked with our ministers for a day in Tampa to help us understand how to minister to our congregations in the aftermath of this kind of natural disaster. Members of that team call some of us each day to make sure we are caring for ourselves so we can care for each other. … We have always known in our heads that we were part of an interdependent web and now we know it in our hearts. Folks from all over our district and around the country are writing to us and sending money, prayers, wishes for our recovery, offer of sanctuary from further storms and offers of teams to come and help us rebuild. We are grateful.”

Contributions continue to be accepted for the disaster relief fund of the Florida District. If you wish to contribute, please send your contribution to:
Florida District-UUA
1901 E. Robinson St. #18
Orlando FL 32803
Please make the notation "Disaster Relief Fund" on the memo line of the check.

Meanwhile, the Mid-South District, which has seen heavy damage from flooding, mudslides and wind gusts in excess of 130 mph, has established a disaster relief fund as well. Reports received by Mid-South District Executive Eunice Benton on Sept. 17 indicate that there is power loss throughout the district that is expected to linger for weeks, as well as flooding and tree damage, but no serious building damage or loss of life to UU families. A Mid-South Hurricane Relief Fund has been established to aid UU congregations and members whose lives and properties have been the most uprooted, and contributions are welcome.

Contributions may be sent to:
Mid-South/UUA Hurricane Relief Fund
c/o Ann Green, Treasurer
827 Sutton Hill Rd,
Nashville TN 37204
Checks should be made out to Mid-South/UUA and marked for ‘hurricane relief fund.’

More Information:

• 9/7/04: News: from Hurricane-Ravaged Florida
• 9/10/04 Letter from UUA President Sinkford to Florida UU congregations
• The Rev. Mary Higgins, Florida district, mhiggins@uua.org
• Eunice Benton, Mid-South District, ebenton@uua.org
• Disaster Help
• Federal Emergency Management Agency

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