As churches of the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference began to plan to resume in-person services the Conference staff was receiving requests for leads on hand sanitizer. Conference Minister Bill Worley and Conference Disaster Coordinator Karl Jones consulted to determine if the Conference could assist with this request. Karl accepted the task.
The first option explored was to request 300 cases of hand sanitizer through a donation offer which came through FEMA. That option was not successful, but Karl persevered.
He then learned that there were 50 gallon drums of hand sanitizer available through another donation being managed by FEMA. Karl and the Conference staff talked about asking for some drums. While processing how they would transfer sanitizer from 50 gallon drums to container more manageable, Karl discovered that one of the Conference’s PA Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster partners, MDR Disaster Relief, had acquired a shipment of barrels.
In consultation with the MDR President Joe Ryan and the Conference staff, a plan was developed where MDR volunteers would pump the sanitizer into one gallon jugs, MDR would deliver more than 270 gallon to the Conference office, from there the jugs would be distributed to the churches who had requested them.
The plan was carried out perfectly by all involved with the Conference staff and volunteers delivering the sanitizer to pick-up points in each Association.
The next time you see our Disaster Coordinator, Rev. Karl Jones, please extend to him your thanks for his persistence and dedication!
