Volunteers sought for hurricane recovery team

A team of volunteers from the Hilton area will be traveling to the Mississippi or Louisiana coast to help with recovery from the hurricane destruction. The trip is planned for November 2007. There is a planning meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. at the Hilton United Methodist Church, 21 West Avenue, Hilton. If you are unable to attend the planning meeting but are interested in volunteering or assisting with fund-raising, contact the church office at 392-8761, leave name, phone number and address.

The trip will be coordinated by HOPE Unites, a non-denominational and not-for-profit organization. While church affiliation is not required, organizers would like this trip to be faith-based.

A 2006 team from the Hilton area learned that even without any special expertise in a building trade, a great deal can be accomplished. Storm victims are grateful for whatever the volunteers are able to accomplish. The nature of the recovery efforts the team will be assigned in 2007 have not been determined. The minimum age for volunteers is 14, but parents are requested to accompany anyone 16 or under.

Expenses for a 2006 team were approximately $680/per person, of which nearly 65 percent of the total expense was offset by fund-raising and donations. Fund-raising events will be planned to help defray the costs for volunteers.

April 15, 2007