JONESBOROUGH — Larry Stinson volunteered for disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Deep South in 2005. He never imagined that 20 years later, he’d be responding to another hurricane in his own backyard of East Tennessee.
Stinson, 79, started with Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief (TBDR) in 2003 after witnessing the organization’s work helping local people. The next year, he participated in a training session at his home church, Mount Lebanon Baptist Church in Maryville, Tenn., preparing volunteers for major disaster work like feeding large groups, using chainsaws, remodeling storm-damaged houses, and constructing new homes.
Then Hurricane Katrina hit. Stinson’s group traveled to Long Beach, Miss., set up tents and feeding units in an abandoned Piggly Wiggly supermarket parking lot, and went to work. They served an average of 30,000 meals a day while doing recovery and chainsaw work for flood victims.
“It’s such a blessing to help someone in need,” Stinson said. “I feel it benefits us more than those we serve.”
Stinson, who retired after 31 years with Delta Airlines, continued as a TBDR volunteer over the next two decades. And then the remains of Hurricane Helene stormed into the mountains of East Tennessee last fall, bringing historic flooding and high-wind damage. TBDR was once again called to help.
Stinson said Helene recovery has been one of the more stressful jobs he’s been on due to the mass destruction across large areas of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina.
“It’s been almost a year now and some folks are just now getting into their new homes,” Stinson said. “It has been and still will be a long time. We need help with more volunteers.”
Stinson said TBDR was fortunate to cooperate with Appalachia Service Project (ASP), a non-profit home replacement and home repair organization, to help displaced people repair or rebuild their damaged homes. He said ASP worked with Mount Lebanon Baptist’s TBDR team at specific job sites, with his church providing monetary and labor assistance. Most recently, Stinson and the Mount Lebanon team helped 72-year-old Skeeter Lewis of Jonesborough reconstruct her home after losing it to flooding.
Stinson stressed that more volunteers are needed with TBDR.
“Talk to your friends about TBDR,” he said. “Encourage them to get involved locally, then they can branch out. All kinds of trades can be used.”
After making the plea for more volunteers, Stinson shared his testimony about how God led him and his wife of almost 60 years, Martha Jane, into volunteering. Stinson said they decided if he could retire early, they’d work on missions with Native Americans. Two weeks after Stinson retired, they received an invitation to travel with a group to Oklahoma to share the Upward Basketball program with Creek Indians. That led to mission work on the Navajo reservation in New Mexico, which continued for several years.
“We say all this to let you know that if God can use us, he can use you, too,” said Stinson, mentioning Philippians 4:13 as a favorite Bible verse. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
“Don’t miss a blessing!” he emphasized. “Don’t pass up the opportunity to serve with TBDR.”
Editor’s Note: Visit TNDisasterRelief.org/AriseandBuild for information on getting involved and/or to financially contribute.
