By Suzy Alstrin
A team from Reinhardt Campus Ministries helped homeowners still devastated by Hurricane Helene. Led by Chaplain Grant Perry, students Ty Freeman (RU-2025) and Ben Perry (RU-2027) traveled to Augusta, Georgia last weekend. They assisted with downed tree removal in three towns, saving three families an estimated thirty thousand dollars in cleanup costs, an expense they could not afford.
The Reinhardt trio joined members of the United Methodist Church (UMC) from New York, Pennsylvania, and California in the effort hosted by Advent Lutheran Church in Augusta. North Georgia UMC’s disaster relief coordinator Rev. Scott Parish, an Augusta Native, coordinated the effort.
Thousands of sites still need to be cleaned up and Grant Perry says he witnessed almost every house having a debris pile in their front yard some ten feet high and ten feet across. FEMA requires homeowners to move debris to the curb within 90 days for their removal, putting an enormous financial and physical burden on effected residents.
Grant Perry said, “While this is just a small step in addressing the immense emotional and financial challenges this hurricane has brought to the Southeastern United States, it’s a reminder of how small acts of service can make a big difference.”
Pictured from left: Chaplain Grant Perry, Ty Freeman (RU-2025) and Ben Perry (RU-2027)
