Neighbors Stepping Up To Help

Oklahoma isn't used to so much winter weather in such a short period of time, but as usual, neighbors are stepping up to help. Many of you have asked us how you can help our neighbors in need. So

Friday, January 19th 2007, 10:21 am

By: News On 6

Oklahoma isn't used to so much winter weather in such a short period of time, but as usual, neighbors are stepping up to help. Many of you have asked us how you can help our neighbors in need. So The News on 6 and BOK have teamed up to help the Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief organization. News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan says workers in Muskogee are already serving up meals and removing downed trees.

Even though Muskogee is beginning to thaw there are still a lot of people around here who need help, of course the most basic help, they need food. The Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief teams cooked up 4,200 meals Friday at the Muskogee fair grounds. They'll feed anyone who wants it, they're also starting to take food to outlying communities.

That's not all they're doing.

Teams of chainsaw crews from across the country have been mobilized. Theyâ€™re going through neighborhoods clearing limbs off of houses, roads and driveways.

A lot of people were happy to see some help arrive.

"I've been working for two days and I haven't cleared 20 feet, so these are marvelous," said homeowner Virgil Calvert.

By Sunday they'll have as many as 250 people on chainsaw teams going through all the ice damaged areas.

People in Muskogee are welcome to eat down at the fairgrounds, they've had hot meals there since Tuesday. People in the outlying communities have been getting food through the Red Cross, but all of the food is being cooked by the Oklahoma Baptists, then driven to communities 20-30 miles away.

If you would like to help our â€œNeighbors In Needâ€ you can donate to the Oklahoma Baptists Disaster Relief Organization. Just make your check payable to the Oklahoma Baptists Disaster Relief Organization, and earmark it â€œIce Storm â€™07 Relief.â€ One-hundred percent of your donations will go to assist the Baptist volunteers who are already spread throughout the hardest hit areas.

Simply drop your donation off at any Bank of Oklahoma location.