Volunteers Continue To Clean Up Okmulgee After Severe Storms

Volunteers with the Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief team are volunteering their time to help neighbors hit hard by recent storms.

A team with Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief is in Okmulgee all week going from home to home, ripping out sheetrock, and pulling up flooring so families can begin putting their homes back together. It is hot and the mosquitoes are out, but nothing will stop the crew of 12 from helping a community in need.

"Christ died for me while I was still a sinner. Bible said that how he demonstrated his love for us. This is how we demonstrate our love for people,” Brent Headrick said.

Brent Headrick is a team leader for the Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief group. Headrick said there is no special skill required… just a heart for helping people.

"Life goes on. Disasters happen and life goes on. It doesn't stop. The bills keep coming. People can't just take off to do this," Headrick said.

Monday's floods damaged about 50 houses in the city along with businesses and churches. The group has shovels, utility knives, saws, drills, and many other tools to get the job done. These volunteers range anywhere from 16 to folks in their 70s.

It's a family calling for Alexia Holdaway.

“Following in the footsteps of my mother," Holdaway said.

Holdaway believes this is what God is calling her to do.

"They need help, and I had the free time," Holdaway said.

Headrick said he is impressed because these kids could be doing anything, but they are spending their summer serving.

"Here they are in the heat with a bunch of old people,” Headrick said.

The group is commuting back and forth from across Green County all week long putting in 8-hour days. Depending on the size and severity of the damage they could tackle anywhere from one home to several houses in a day.

“The later the day gets. The longer the breaks get and the faster they come,” Headrick said.

Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief has additional groups scheduled to come help over the next three weeks. For more information how to donate or volunteer CLICK HERE