Lipscomb’s Missions department is planning two trips to help Panama City, Florida, hurricane survivors over Thanksgiving and Winter breaks.
An email was sent to students earlier this week about the Thanksgiving break relief trip, and students can register for the trip in the email. The deadline for securing a spot is 10 a.m. on November 2.
It has been over three weeks since Hurricane Michael hit Florida, taking lives, devastating cities and leaving millions of households without power.
The hurricane may not be active anymore, but countless residents are still feeling the effects of the Category 4 hurricane. Homes still need to be cleaned and rebuilt, and hope needs restoration.
Josh Self, Lipscomb’s Missions Coordinator, has organized two upcoming hurricane relief trips for students to participate in this month and next.
Students played a significant role in organizing the Hurricane Michael relief teams. Several Lipscomb students even have family and friends who were personally affected by the hurricane.
“Students immediately began to ask how they could help once Hurricane Michael made landfall,” Self said.
The trips are scheduled during Thanksgiving break, November 15-19 and Winter break, December 13-19. Both trips will go to Panama City, Florida, one of the most-affected cities in Florida. The cost is $200, which covers transportation and travel food. Housing, meals and supplies will be provided by a disaster relief organization that will be hosting Lipscomb’s teams.
Students will be providing relief in a variety of ways, namely “muding-out,” cleaning up, and rebuilding.
“Mud-out involves removal of drywall and insulation that was ruined by the flooding,” Self said. “Cleanup will consist mostly of picking up debris that was left by the storm. Rebuild involve[s] laying new insulation and drywall in affected buildings.”
If you don’t feel equipped to rebuild a house, don’t worry.
“Disaster relief personnel [will] be on hand to help students with all of these tasks,” Self said. “No experience is required!”
Lipscomb has organized other relief trips in the past.
“A group of students, faculty and staff served the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005,” Self said. “Another group served the Atlantic coastal areas that were devastated by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.”
In 2017, seven relief teams were sent to Texas, the Florida Keys and Puerto Rico, all in the wake of hurricanes.
“Our students’ heart for service is what makes Lipscomb special,” Self said. “They are eager to jump in and serve the relief effort any way they can.”
Students can email Josh Self at jdself@lipscomb.edu or visit his office in Ezell 238B with any questions concerning the relief trips.