Lee Trawick
Reporter2@riverbendnews.org
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) from Live Oak, Branford and White Springs joined together with branches and wards from Lake City, Macclenny and Lake Butler to provide hurricane relief to residents in Port Charlotte, located just 30 miles north of Fort Myers. On Friday, Oct. 7, roughly 850 members traveled four hours and slept in tents and vehicles to hit the ground running on Saturday morning. Among the hundreds of volunteers were Suwannee High School students Ansleigh Pack, Jace Wainwright, Gracie Wainwright and Landon Peterson.
Hurricane Ian caused an estimated $67 million worth of damages throughout South Florida and the Carolinas. The storm was ranked among the top five strongest to hit Florida and was, perhaps, the deadliest storm to ravage the state since 1935. Half a million businesses and homes were left without power and more than 119 families were forced to bury their loved ones. The destruction left many families lost, battered and so beat up they didn't know where to turn or how to start moving forward.
The Helping Hands of the LDS is an outreach program that was established in 1998. It made its first impact in South America and has since spread throughout the world. The program is entirely made up of volunteers of the LDS church and has contributed millions of hours of service, as well as millions of dollars, for the sole purpose of bringing comfort, hope and the love of Jesus Christ to those who have experienced tragedies.
Today, the program is so profound that hundreds, known as the “workers in yellow shirts,”can be seen helping in the wake of tornadoes, floods, fires and hurricanes. They even assist with the fight against hunger all over the world. Volunteers, both men and women, range in age from 14-years and older. Together, they join hands in cleaning up, as well offering moments of comfort with hugs or prayers.
Over the weekend of Friday, Oct. 7 through Sunday, Oct. 9, the 850 members of the LDS convened for service work in Port Charlotte. They were one of three groups dispatched to offer help to those in need following Hurricane Ian's devastation. The Church of LDS plans to continue sending work crews down south throughout the recovery process.
Not only did the four Suwannee High School students represent the Church of LDS and Jesus Christ, but they also represented the heart of American volunteerism. They learned about the blessings of a loving neighbor, as well as how love can conquer all, by seeing the smiles and tears of those who were grateful to have someone offer a helping hand. The four students got to experience how precious life is, along with what it means to represent Jesus Christ in the world.