In November 2016, members of the Allegheny Mountain chapter were saddened by news of the devastating wildfires in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The wildfires consumed thousands of acres in the beautiful Gatlinburg, Tennessee area and much of Sevier County. The flames caused 14 deaths, nearly 200 injuries, and hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. One chapter member did some research online. They found the phone number of a church in the affected area and called to see whether it was providing direct help to fire victims. That call resulted in one of those small miracles we often take for granted.
The little Gatlinburg Presbyterian Church operates a retreat center that can accommodate 32 people. Church members were able to use the retreat center to provide housing for disaster relief workers from an organization called All Hands Volunteers. But because the retreat center was designed for youths who typically bring their own linens and towels, the church was scampering to gather sheets, towels, and blankets for the volunteers who would stay there.
Allegheny Mountain chapter members provided financial support and mailed some of the needed items to the church. The chapter received the feedback below.
“I can’t believe your generosity. We received another shipment today; this time it included 12 blankets and 12 large bath towels — what a fantastic gift. You and your club are remarkable.
“Let me tell you how much this is going to help. Yesterday (December 11) nonresidents were able to get into Gatlinburg for the first time, and I was able to visit the church. A group of 25 young, enthusiastic, energetic young men (and two or three equally energetic girls) greeted me when I got there. They were glad to finally be able to get into Gatlinburg and get started helping the victims of the fire. We got them settled into their quarters in our upstairs retreat center and they were thrilled with the towel sets that had been provided. They dropped their bags on the floor and said, ‘We’re ready to go to work!’ What a lift this gave to their spirits!
“The team of volunteers is scheduled to stay in our retreat center for four weeks, and if funding from their national organization comes through, they will stay for much longer. They will be made much more comfortable and will be a lot cleaner, thanks to your generosity.
“I hope some of your club members are able to visit Gatlinburg in the future and see the progress that is being made. We would love to have you come by our church and see our retreat center. Thanks again for all the help you are providing to help the victims of this awful fire. You folks are a real blessing.”
It’s unclear how many Allegheny Mountain members sent direct gifts to Gatlinburg, but the chapter as a group forwarded a check for $1,000 to the church. We hope that made life a little easier for the people who lost so much.