Namaskar Everyone,
On Saturday, 9 AMURT/EL volunteers went to Ellicott City to respond to the flood. We were fully dressed in Orange and had AMURT name tags. We went to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Ellicott City where they were fully stocked with local donations of food, bucket cleaning care packages, water, and lots of other supplies. We helped unload trucks, stock supplies, and distribute items to the people in need who arrived throughout the day to collect. One of our volunteers also successfully taught meditation and calmed down some people suffering from trauma.
The police were very strict about not allowing people into the disaster area to help with cleanup. Fortunately, we made a contact at the church and a woman was able to drive 5 of us to a residential area affected, where we helped clean up debris from the street, from people’s lawns, and fill in vulnerable areas where more flooding can occur with sand and rocks.
One of the church leaders offered to be filmed stating their appreciation for the AMURT/EL workers. I’ll post that video on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amurtusa/
It was great to respond and also great to mobilize our new people in the DC area, who are slowly becoming Margiis through our new people’s group, the Vistara Circle. We have a service coordinator in the Vistara Circle, and she will begin to coordinate the collection and storing of food and supplies for the next disaster.
Attached are some pictures of Saturday. Thank you for approving the use of kitty funds for the t-shirts. I have a total of 7, and can send them anywhere in the country the next time a disaster hits. I will ask Bhaskar about this.
Best wishes,
Krsnatma