You are here: Home › Serve › Volunteers in Mission ›

VIM Trip for 2008

 

UMVIM logo
 

Tumbleweeds and Goatheads

 

In September this year, 30 people spent a week or two in Fernley, Nevada, helping to repair several homes that had been damaged by flooding. They were able to perform this ministry largely as a result of the support received from church organizations, community organizations, fundraisers and in general, folks like you. This short report will let you know how about the money that came in and where it went.
In January 2008, a levee passing through Fernley carrying irrigation water from Reno gave way as a result of years of burrowing by gophers. The breach caused the flooding of over 800 homes and the evacuation of about 3,800 people. The Methodist church responded as soon as civilians were allowed into the area, with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) offering immediate assistance and the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) stepping in during the recovery effort.
The UMVIM group coordinated by Santa Rosa First United Methodist Church was composed of people from 4 churches in Santa Rosa, Novato, Merced, and Wellington, NV., including Paul Desideri, our “Catholic missionary to the Methodist Church.” The bulk of the coordination leading up to departing for Nevada, as well as accomplishing the “close-out” paperwork upon return, was done by Diane Jackson. In Nevada, our able leader was Brian Garrison, a licensed contractor, who led us in the ways of the building code and local regulations while also providing skill-building opportunities for those of us who needed it. (The nail keeps bending when I hit it with the curved end of the hammer!) Team leaders at individual home sites were Andrea Davis, Paul Desideri, Bill Dornbush, Brian Gebhart, Norm Hardin, and Bill Walker.
In addition to the funds paid by the participants, we raised over $5,800. Expenditures came to a little less than $7,500.   A short financial statement follows below.
Tumbleweeds and Goatheads? Most of the houses had an ample supply of tumbleweeds collecting in the yards, and we were picking goathead thorns out of our tires days after we had returned home. Our UMVIM trip to Fernley was a good experience overall, allowing us to bask in the warmth of God’s love through being in ministry to those in need. We hope you’ll join us next year, wherever God may lead us.
 
 
 

Fernley 2008 Revenue and Expenses

Revenue:
Participant Contributions:                           $5,440.50   ($145.25 per person for 1 week, $230.50 for 2 weeks) (Participants also paid for all housing costs and transportation to and from Fernley)
 

 

Fundraisers:
 
Donations: $ 2,307.00
Opportunity tickets: $    969.00
Family Barbeque: $ 1,102.17
Fundraiser Dinners: $ 1,433.38
   
Total Fundraiser revenue: $5,811.55
   
Total Revenue: $11,252.05
   
Expenses:  
Item Spent
Building Materials: $4,581.25
Food: $1,483.37
Gas & Fuel on site: $   390.87
Scholarships: $   400.00
Team Supplies: $   650.74
UMVIM Insurance:

$   225.00

 
Total Expenses: $7,731.23
Of the money obtained through fundraising activities, it was agreed that 50% would go towards purchasing building materials and supplies, 25% to go towards scholarships and 25% towards team expenses. This resulted in the following designated amounts:
 
     Building Materials:             $2,905.78
     Scholarships:                    $1,452.89
     Team Expenses:                $1,452.89
 
It was also agreed that if one category needed more funding than designated and there were unused funds in another category, the amounts could be altered to cover all needs.
 
       Revenue:                     $11,252.05
       Expenses:                     $ 7,731.23
       Unused funds:               $ 3,520.82
 
It was agreed that $3,000 of the unused funds would be used to grant a $100 per person rebate of the participant fee. Participants were allowed to either accept the rebate or to donate the rebate to the UMVIM account to be used for future needs. The remaining $520.82 will held in the UMVIM account for future needs.
 
 

Participants:  George & Laurie Batchelder, Judy Church, Jim & Celinda Current, Andrea Davis, Paul Desideri, Bill & Jennifer Dornbush, Brian Garrison, Brian Gebhart, Norm & Karen Hardin, Diane Jackson, Phillip Martin, Ray Nipper, Bill & Barbara O’Rear, Sharon Peterson, Art & Pat Ravicz, Charles & Sarah Rhodes,  Anne Sekara, John Trumbull, Bill & Kay Walker, Barton & Olivia Welsh, Nancy Zanolini

 

 

 

See a You-Tube video about the flood here.

 

Go to Photos and Memories to see our photos from the trip and some thoughts on what we experienced while we were there.