‘Disaster Wall’ graced with the names of hundreds of volunteers.

A wall in an apartment in Pensacola, Fla., for the past year became a landmark for Brethren disaster volunteers. At the Brethren Disaster Response project in Pensacola, a "Disaster Wall" graced the living room of an apartment that until just a few weeks ago housed volunteers who traveled from across the country to rebuild and repair homes following Hurricanes Ivan and Dennis.

At the center of the wall was a large drawing of a Brethren Disaster Response pickup truck, created by McPherson (Kan.) College student Nick Anderson. All of the disaster volunteers who worked in Pensacola over the past year were invited to sign their names on the wall.

With plans for the apartment in Pensacola to be demolished or completely rehabbed shortly, the owners did not mind the scribbling on the walls, according to volunteer project directors Phil and Joan Taylor.

Now the Brethren Disaster Response project in Florida has moved to new quarters in Gulf Breeze, so the Disaster Wall has been left behind.

It will not be forgotten, however. A poster of the wall has been created by Glenn Riegel, a Brethren Disaster Response volunteer from Little Swatara Church of the Brethren. The 16-by-20 inch posters were displayed at Annual Conference in early July, and may be ordered from ersm_gb@brethren.org for $12 plus shipping and handling.

The wall also has been featured on Disaster News Network, in an article written by Susan Kim. Go to http://www.disasternews.net/news/news.php?articleid=3210.

Source: 8/2/2006 Newsline
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