Lutherans to Help Organize Christmas Dinners for Flood Victims

CHRISTMAS DINNERS FOR FLOOD VICTIMS

"Christmas 1997 will be an important,
emotion-filled time for the people
affected by this year's flooding and harsh winter
in the upper Midwest,"
said the Rev. Craig A. Boehlke, coordinator for
the Upper Midwest region of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  "For
some communities it will
be a time for celebrating their successful
recovery, for others the usually
joy-filled season will only remind them of their
losses and the work that
still remains," he said.  The record snowfall and
floods of the 1996-1997
winter and spring seasons caused catastrophic
conditions in Minnesota,
North Dakota and South Dakota.   Lutheran Disaster
Response, a joint
ministry of the ELCA and the Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod, and Lutheran
Social Service agencies in each of the three
states will help organize
"Christmas Dinners" for residents of
disaster-affected communities.  "We
are seeking formal partners who will sponsor this
event and work to plan
it.  We are in the beginning stages now and we
welcome any suggestions or
support anyone can provide," said Boehlke.  The
"Christmas Dinners" will
include entertainment, activities and gifts.
Specific needs include
donations of new Christmas gifts for children,
teenagers and adults;
donations of larger items to be given as door
prizes; monetary donations to
pay for the cost of meals and gifts; Christmas
decorations and volunteers
to help serve meals, lead activities and crafts
for children.  Christmas
dinners are planned for at least 30 communities.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or
NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html