The Diocese of Western Louisiana was in touch with its neighbors before and after Hurricane Laura made landfall on August 27.
The damage to the sister cities of Lake Charles and Sulphur and the surrounding area is precisely what one would expect from a category four storm.
Episcopal Relief and Development’s U.S. Disaster Program Officer, Lura Steele, organized daily briefings by Zoom with diocesan coordinators in TX, LA, MS, AL, and FL.
The Rev. Deacon Lois Maberry, coordinator for the disaster prep and relief team in the Diocese of Western Louisiana, reported that the storm took the roof off St. Michael’s and All Angels in Lake Charles. Damage was also sustained at the rectory near the church.
Church of the Good Shepherd, the largest Episcopal church in Lake Charles, suffered damage also; however, the gym and the school on the property had major roof damage.
“We are distressed to hear about the gym because we were hoping to use it during the recovery phase,” Maberry said.
Joy Owensby, the canon missioner of the diocese whose office is in Pineville, LA, north of Lake Charles, said officials are still conducting damage assessments. The hardest-hit cities and communities are still without water or power. The water plant in Lake Charles suffered significant damage.
Maberry and Owensby both stated that financial donations for hurricane relief are needed and may be sent to the diocesan office’s address in Pineville, or through the diocesan website, www.epiwla. Contributions to Episcopal Relief and Development may also be made online.
Gift cards, other credit cards, or checks may be mailed to:
Episcopal Diocese of Western Louisiana
P.O. Box 4330
Pineville, LA 71361
A recent report was made which said that a Walmart and a Kroger store are open in Lake Charles.
Joy Owensby said she checked with United Way regarding storage warehousing capacity in Lake Charles for tangible good; however, the group's warehouses were damaged by the storm and may unusable. There were reports that some distribution of goods are happening, however.
As of now, there is no place to house shipments of tangible goods. “And even if there were a place, there are not many people who have returned to the area yet,” Owensby said at press time.
"When relief centers begin to surface, we will pass along the information. But we are not ready to receive eighteen-wheelers at diocesan properties at this time, and there is no place to house volunteer crews to help with debris removal and other work at this time.” She stated that once a tangible item list is made, it will not include clothes. "Don't send clothes."
Bishop Seage reported contacting Bishop Jake Owensby shortly after the storm passed. "We had a good conversation, and I told him we in Mississippi were there to help when the time comes."
More on relief efforts in the Diocese of Western Louisiana will be posted to Western Louisiana and Mississippi websites.
