Our Story
Valley Disaster Relief
"Cutting Straight to the Truth"
members felt called to go to the New Orleans area and
help with the clean up effort.  Thanks to our friends from
the Cane Creek Stoddard Baptist Association of Poplar
Bluff, Missouri, we were able to find a wonderful way to
serve many of those who were in desperate need of
help.  

    The Poplar Bluff group had formed a Chain Saw
    Disaster Relief Unit several years prior to Katrina.  
    They wanted to share the Good News and the Hope
    that is to be found in Jesus Christ through their
    service to victims of disasters.  They decided that tree
    removal for home owners that had been struck by a
    tornado, hurricane or ice storm, would be a great way
    to serve.  So, they put together a trailer stocked with
    Stihl chain saws and safety gear and they did safety
    training with their volunteers.  When storms hit; they
    responded.  They found that this was a great way to
    serve because it met the needs of many who
    otherwise couldn’t afford to clean up trees that had
    fallen on top of their homes.  It was also the perfect
    opportunity to remind victims that there’s no better
    place to turn in times of disaster than to turn to the
    Lord and that there’s no safer place to be, than in His
    hands.

    Katrina was unlike any other storm.  The area
    devastated by Katrina was far more widespread than
    anything that Poplar Bluff had ever responded to in
    the past.  The Poplar Bluff group knew right away,
    they needed more people.  That’s where Valley
    Church came in to the picture.  With nearly 3,000
    people calling Valley Church ‘home’; it was a perfect
    fit and God put the two of us together.  They had
    equipment and we had people; and it was just what
    many of us were looking for; a hands-on way to serve.

    Valley Church volunteers worked along side the
    Poplar Bluff Chain Saw Unit in week long stints
    during the months of September and November of
    2005 and January and March of 2006.  The
    experience left many of us with memories we’ll never
    forget.  After removing a huge tree that had been
    lying on someone’s house and then gathering
    together, joining hands and praying for that person
    and their family; these victims of Katrina were often
    overcome with emotion.  With tears and hugs, they’d
    show us their gratitude.

    After the post-Katrina tree removal had finished,
    many Valley Church volunteers felt that it was time to
    put together our own Chain Saw Disaster Relief Unit,
    so that we could respond to both local and national
    disasters.  So, we prayerfully moved forward, first
    with fund raising efforts and then with the purchase
    of equipment.  Now, nearly two years to the day from
    when Katrina hit New Orleans, Valley Church has its
    very own Chain Saw Disaster Relief Unit.  

    We’d like to thank Clive Power Equipment and
    Mississippi Valley Stihl for generously donating some
    of our equipment.  We’d also like to thank the many
    individuals from within and from outside of Valley
    Church that have made financial contributions to
    support this ministry.  A special Thank You also goes
    out to our Brothers & Sisters from Cane Creek
    Stoddard Baptist Association of Poplar Bluff who
    have helped guide us along the way and who we will
    always look forward to working with in the future.  To
    God Be the Glory!