Mennonites aid in local hurricane recovery
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

Franklin Hayes/Gulf Breeze News Pictured from left, Mary Jane Zimmerman from Martinsburg, Penn., Mary Reiff from New Enterprise, Penn., Caroll Replogle from Martinsburg, Penn., Jolene Martin from Williamsburg, Penn., Ann Martin from Roaring Spring, Penn., and Sherman Dick from Martinsburg, Penn. came from rural Penn., to help hurricane victims in the aftermath of the 04 and 05 hurricane seasons.

United Church of Christ (UCC) volunteers from rural Pennsylvania traveled 1,028 miles to seaside Gulf Breeze to assist with long-term disaster recovery. Gathering together from different parts of the countryside, Mennonite volunteers packed a small trailer full of roofing supplies, drywall equipment, and landscaping tools. They stay for one week at a time, getting in as much work time each trip as possible. In the last week of January the handy group of volunteers repaired the home of Danah Gibson, owner of Danah’s Hair Studio on Pensacola Beach. At the Gibson home, drywall and insulation were replaced, and volunteers also cleared a back yard full of trees.

Volunteer Disaster Coordinator Sherman Dick, who is from Martinsburg Pa., has spearheaded many similar operations. Since 1993 Dick has led volunteers to different regions of the country following nature’s destruction.

“The wife and I were on vacation in Missouri during the flood in 1993. While still there we decided to help clean up instead of going on vacation,” Dick said. The semi-retired mail carrier works closely with the UCC’s Church World Services, deciding which areas to visit. Dick was in the Gulf Breeze area four times last year, and plans to return later in 2006 as well. In addition to the physical labor, Dick and his group recently brought citizens of Ocean Springs and Bay St. Louis Miss. a truckload of supplies. Donated items included school supplies, medical supplies, cleaning supplies, microwaves, toasters, and crock-pots. For Sherman Dick and his loyal helping hands, it is a vacation experience in anthropology and compassion.

“This has been most appreciated. With out their assistance, a lot of people wouldn’t be able to get up and running again,” Steve Spears said. Spears is a member of the Pensacola Beach Community Church (UCC), who were instrumental in getting the volunteers to come to Santa Rosa County.

“They have worked on 12 houses and Pensacola Beach Elementary School since Ivan,” Spears said. Pensacola Beach Community Church provided the volunteers with food and shelter as well as plenty of work.

“[The volunteers] re-roofed four of our buildings last year and they did some demolition work on the inside of the buildings as well. They are very good, hard working people. It was a pleasure working with them,” Pensacola Beach Elementary Principal Jeff Castleberry said.

Danah Gibson, whose house was severely damaged by the storms, said the experience has “been wonderful”. As a form of gratitude, Gibson plans to give some of the female volunteers a free shampoo at her hair salon on Pensacola Beach. “Many of them have never had a professional shampoo before. We won’t be able to give them a cut or any kind of chemical treatment, but we’ll do what we can,” Gibson said in reference to their Mennonite faith. Gibson was referred to the Beach Community Church by one of her clients, and Gibson now plans to join the congregation.