Fast Facts
Alaska Adventist Community Services director, received the President's Volunteer Service Award for response following the Spring Breakup Flood in 2009.
Oregon and Washington conference teams conducted several New Orleans rebuilding trips.
Upper Columbia Conference Disaster Assistance Account raised $150,000 for Haiti.
Summary
The NPUC coordinator is a volunteer with a small budget in partnership with local conferences. This helps manage relief efforts and training in support of conference ACS directors. Additional local coordinators who have aided connections with state Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) boards include: Debra Finley, Washington; Sam Pellecer and Dan Patchin, Oregon; Donna Cantrell, Idaho; Butch Palmero, Alaska; and David Prest, Montana.
Mission
To serve the poor and hurting in Christ's name.
What's Been Accomplished
ACS Training — Trained 600 Northwest Adventist Community Services Disaster Response volunteers.
Translation —Translated "Introduction of Disaster Preparedness" into Spanish.
Government Relations — Helped develop a proposed final draft of "Memorandum of Understanding" between Washington State and Oregon, Upper Columbia and Washington conferences.
Safety Resources — Developed safety materials for H1N1 concerns in Alaska, Oregon and UCC.
Student Guidelines — Developed and adopted Department of Education and ACS Disaster Response Deployment Guidelines for academy and college students in Upper Columbia.
Workshops — Provided workshops or informational webinars about the National Donations Management Network with AidMatrix Software, Chain Saw Recovery, Fork-Lift Operation, "Intro to Disaster Preparedness" and "Management of Volunteers and Donated Goods."
Donations Operations — Conducted donations operations for flooding in Vernonia, Ore., and fires in White Swan and Toppenish, Wash.
The Challenges Ahead
Prophetic Warnings — The Bible, Spirit of Prophecy and news media alert us to increasing disasters near the time of the end.
Preparedness — Personal, family, community and institutional preparedness requires a plan, trained personnel, equipment and resources.
Pilot Project — Explore a "Hands Across the Border" pilot project with our ADRA/Canada counterparts.
Alaska Adventist Community Services director (in Alaska) received the President's Volunteer Service Award for 2009 (released last May 2010) for work done for survivors of the Spring Breakup Flood in 2009.
Doug Venn, NPUC-area director
