COUNTDOWN TO NASHVILLE:
5 DAYS!
Monday, March 14, 2011
$20 Million Later...
I found this great video someone put together for the grand re-opening of the Grand Ole Opry after its $20 million post-flooding refurbishment. I've never been there, so it was great to see the before and after shots. I can only imagine what a triumph it was for the city of Nashville when this piece of tradition and history re-opened.
Seeing the Opry ripped down to the studs reminds me of the time following the fire at Frankfort Church when IT was bare down to the studs. It's a tremendous thing to see the progress of rebuilding. I wonder if I could find some time-lapse video of the repairs? It's worth a look!
Here's some news coverage on the Opry's official re-opening.
In the meantime, enjoy!
Seeing the Opry ripped down to the studs reminds me of the time following the fire at Frankfort Church when IT was bare down to the studs. It's a tremendous thing to see the progress of rebuilding. I wonder if I could find some time-lapse video of the repairs? It's worth a look!
Here's some news coverage on the Opry's official re-opening.
In the meantime, enjoy!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
A Silver Lining?
One of the hot topics on the "Nashville Flood Recovery" website is tax help for flood victims. In this news story, you can read about a silver lining for flood victims in Nashville: tax breaks and free help preparing their returns!
The story follows Lisa Spangler who lives in River Plantation, called "ground zero" for the damage. Though she has some accounting in her background, she was daunted by the amount of paperwork required for her tax returns. But never fear ... "The good news is that twenty accounting firms in the greater middleTennessee
area are doing free tax returns for the first 100 flood victims who apply."
Can you believe that? Twenty accounting firms! Think of the volunteer hours that will be involved in this project. I know 100 flood victims doesn't sound like much, but maybe other law firms in the area will be inspired to pitch in and donate their time and services as well!
One of the accountants who was interviewed said, "It's not as fun as a Garth Brooks concert but it could have that kind of impact," Wiseman said. (Brooks recently performed a series of benefit concerts that raised over $3 million!)
For Spangler, it is a painful process to relive the devastation from the flood. But, with a pro bono tax preparer's help, it is a pain she's willing to endure because the money from her tax return will help her to rebuild her life.
Volunteering their time and expertise in a place of need--now THAT'S how to "be the church!"
The story follows Lisa Spangler who lives in River Plantation, called "ground zero" for the damage. Though she has some accounting in her background, she was daunted by the amount of paperwork required for her tax returns. But never fear ... "The good news is that twenty accounting firms in the greater middle
Can you believe that? Twenty accounting firms! Think of the volunteer hours that will be involved in this project. I know 100 flood victims doesn't sound like much, but maybe other law firms in the area will be inspired to pitch in and donate their time and services as well!
One of the accountants who was interviewed said, "It's not as fun as a Garth Brooks concert but it could have that kind of impact," Wiseman said. (Brooks recently performed a series of benefit concerts that raised over $3 million!)
For Spangler, it is a painful process to relive the devastation from the flood. But, with a pro bono tax preparer's help, it is a pain she's willing to endure because the money from her tax return will help her to rebuild her life.
Volunteering their time and expertise in a place of need--now THAT'S how to "be the church!"
Friday, March 11, 2011
"We Are Home"
Today I decided to do some digging around to see if I could find some info on the rebuilding that continues to go on in Nashville.
I started out looking at this website called "Nashville Flood Recovery" which offers some great statistics on its home page about the damage caused by the 2010 flood:
I started out looking at this website called "Nashville Flood Recovery" which offers some great statistics on its home page about the damage caused by the 2010 flood:
- 10,940 properties damaged; 3,922 building permits issued
- 333,000 cubic yards of debris removed
- 90,391 volunteer hours donated for recovery projects
- $8.7 million donated to Metro / State Relief Funds
- $5.55 million relief funds awarded to recovery efforts
(You can click here to find more stats.)
This website has a collection of press releases dating all the way back to May 2, when the flooding began. It is fascinating to read through them and to get a taste of what life must have been like in the aftermath of the torrential rains. One of the more recent releases talks about the "We are Home" Awards, which are rebuilding assistance awards.
Local members of the public sector quickly recognized that their fellow citizens were not going to have enough money to rebuild their homes and lives. The "We are Home" program is part of "a joint effort of private and public sectors, including The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, financial institutions, nonprofit organizations and Metro Government." The application process is pretty rigorous, since the average amount of the award is well over $20,000. There are many measures in place to discourage fraudulent applications.
To date of the press release (09/16/10), 102 people have been given "We are Home" awards totaling over $2.9 million. That's a staggering amount of money. Think of all the lives that have been changed through this program! I really can't even fathom it.
So there may be some of you who are not able to go on this trip but now you're wishing you could do something to help. Well, there are a million ways you can STILL help rebuild Nashville (they're far from done!), not the least of which is to be in prayer for the Music City. Another way is to support The Housing Fund, which is the nonprofit administering and managing the "We are Home" assistance program. You can make a donation here.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Videos That Will Break Your Heart
Here are some more youtube videos of the devastation following the 2010 flood in Nashville.
The flooding in the Opryland Hotel...
And here's one more. It's a little long, but it's a woman who took her video camera and visited with her neighbors in the days following the flood. It's heartbreaking but listen for the message of hope.
The flooding in the Opryland Hotel...
And here's one more. It's a little long, but it's a woman who took her video camera and visited with her neighbors in the days following the flood. It's heartbreaking but listen for the message of hope.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Project: Packing
If there was anything I learned from my trip to Greece a couple years back, it's that PACKING IS PARAMOUNT! Particularly, smart and EFFICIENT packing!
(Sidenote: Would you believe that I actually threw away my carry-on suitcase in the middle of my Greece trip?? Talk about inefficient packing--if I could fit my carry-on stuff into my big suitcase. Add to THAT...one of the leaders of the trip asked me to take some BOOKS back home for him since he was continuing to travel with his wife after our trip was over! Sheesh. I vow to be more efficient this time!)
And what do I do when I need to learn how to do something? I "google it up"--a phrase that is popular in the Bauer household. My searching turned up this article, which had a few helpful suggestions.
And this site has an "interactive packing list," which is cool. All you have to do is pick from their list of all the items you'll need (and you can add up to 10 more that they don't include), then hit print--and, BOOM, you've got a personalized packing check list to help keep you organized! (We have a packing list from the group, but this personalized one is uber-detailed. Aaand if you bring it with you, you have a list of what you had in case your luggage gets lost, which won't really be a problem with this trip but would be helpful when flying!)
Now, this mission trip is only a week long, and we'll be doing mainly construction work, so I'm not too worried about choosing color coordinated outfits, like that first article mentioned. But I AM mentally preparing myself for the possibility that some things may need to be thrown away before packing to come home if they're ruined beyond saving--even a favorite old t-shirt (*sniff, sniff*).
SO, even though the trip is 10 days away (and I'm totally a last minute kind of person!), and since thinking things through seems to be step one of packing efficiently, I started packing today.
See?
Yeah, I know it's not much ... but it's a start, right? I've picked a suitcase, dug out my trusty Tevas (for shower shoes), found my only set of twin sheets (Rugrats from my college dorm room!), and added the PINK tape measure my sister got me for my birthday and the mini-lantern someone at the church gave me, also for my birthday.
Look! The lantern even flashes red! (In case I get lost in the church looking for the bathroom in the middle of the night, I guess!)
Other things I need to acquire for the trip include some steel toe work boots (ordered online!) and EAR PLUGS! Not so much because I plan on running loud equipment all day long, but mainly because I have a feeling there's going to be a whole lot of snoring going on in the dorm rooms. (Yes, including me.) Although, I HAVE run a saw a time or two in my life ... in shop class ... in seventh grade ...18 years ago ... yikes.
At any rate, I was talking with another member of the "Frankfort Five" the other day about a training regimen for the trip. We concluded that the most important preparation for this trip just may be getting on an "early to bed, early to rise" sleeping schedule. Other things I need to work on include sleeping with the ONE pillow that will got to TN with me and sleeping with the ear plugs in!
Based on what I have written today, apparently I am more concerned about being well-rested than I am about the fact that I have relatively little construction experience! Which, as I reflect, is probably a good thing. I imagine there are those who wanted to go on this trip but aren't because they worried about being useless at the work site. But I am convinced that God will gift me with what I need and use me as He needs me. And I am convinced that God will do this for others on the trip as well.
(Sidenote: Would you believe that I actually threw away my carry-on suitcase in the middle of my Greece trip?? Talk about inefficient packing--if I could fit my carry-on stuff into my big suitcase. Add to THAT...one of the leaders of the trip asked me to take some BOOKS back home for him since he was continuing to travel with his wife after our trip was over! Sheesh. I vow to be more efficient this time!)
And what do I do when I need to learn how to do something? I "google it up"--a phrase that is popular in the Bauer household. My searching turned up this article, which had a few helpful suggestions.
And this site has an "interactive packing list," which is cool. All you have to do is pick from their list of all the items you'll need (and you can add up to 10 more that they don't include), then hit print--and, BOOM, you've got a personalized packing check list to help keep you organized! (We have a packing list from the group, but this personalized one is uber-detailed. Aaand if you bring it with you, you have a list of what you had in case your luggage gets lost, which won't really be a problem with this trip but would be helpful when flying!)
Now, this mission trip is only a week long, and we'll be doing mainly construction work, so I'm not too worried about choosing color coordinated outfits, like that first article mentioned. But I AM mentally preparing myself for the possibility that some things may need to be thrown away before packing to come home if they're ruined beyond saving--even a favorite old t-shirt (*sniff, sniff*).
SO, even though the trip is 10 days away (and I'm totally a last minute kind of person!), and since thinking things through seems to be step one of packing efficiently, I started packing today.
See?
Other things I need to acquire for the trip include some steel toe work boots (ordered online!) and EAR PLUGS! Not so much because I plan on running loud equipment all day long, but mainly because I have a feeling there's going to be a whole lot of snoring going on in the dorm rooms. (Yes, including me.) Although, I HAVE run a saw a time or two in my life ... in shop class ... in seventh grade ...18 years ago ... yikes.
At any rate, I was talking with another member of the "Frankfort Five" the other day about a training regimen for the trip. We concluded that the most important preparation for this trip just may be getting on an "early to bed, early to rise" sleeping schedule. Other things I need to work on include sleeping with the ONE pillow that will got to TN with me and sleeping with the ear plugs in!
Based on what I have written today, apparently I am more concerned about being well-rested than I am about the fact that I have relatively little construction experience! Which, as I reflect, is probably a good thing. I imagine there are those who wanted to go on this trip but aren't because they worried about being useless at the work site. But I am convinced that God will gift me with what I need and use me as He needs me. And I am convinced that God will do this for others on the trip as well.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
History That Matters
You might think that the people of Nashville would like nothing better than to forget about the flooding from last May. And for the most part, I would guess that you're probably right. But not the librarians (and historians)!
As I was meandering around the internet looking for more things to post on the blog, I came across this article. The public libraries of Nashville are working on "collecting oral histories, still images, text, audio, video and documents of the aftermath." Historians know that history matters--that the flood was an event that has forever changed the state of Tennessee!
It is the kind of thing people will tell their children and their grandchildren about. For years to come on the anniversaries of the flood, folks will gather around the tables, and talk about how the flood changed their lives: how severe the damage was, the struggle to rebuild, and, ultimately, the joy of re-establishing their lives.
And now the local library will be a place they can go to remember the story of the flood and Nashville's triumphant return.
The idea reminds me a lot of the Johnstown Flood Museum. (Further proving my point of the similarities between between Nashville and Pittsburgh that I talked about here!) It's a living memorial to the tragedy of 1889, also in the month of May. I had the chance to visit the museum a few years ago and was overwhelmed by the tragic history of it all ... but was encouraged by Johnstown's resurgence in the years following their flood.
And now ... we'll get to be a part history through this mission trip in Nashville! I mean, we may not make it into the library's digital flood project ... but our deeds will be recorded in the book on high! (And that's the history that really matters!)
As I was meandering around the internet looking for more things to post on the blog, I came across this article. The public libraries of Nashville are working on "collecting oral histories, still images, text, audio, video and documents of the aftermath." Historians know that history matters--that the flood was an event that has forever changed the state of Tennessee!
It is the kind of thing people will tell their children and their grandchildren about. For years to come on the anniversaries of the flood, folks will gather around the tables, and talk about how the flood changed their lives: how severe the damage was, the struggle to rebuild, and, ultimately, the joy of re-establishing their lives.
And now the local library will be a place they can go to remember the story of the flood and Nashville's triumphant return.
The idea reminds me a lot of the Johnstown Flood Museum. (Further proving my point of the similarities between between Nashville and Pittsburgh that I talked about here!) It's a living memorial to the tragedy of 1889, also in the month of May. I had the chance to visit the museum a few years ago and was overwhelmed by the tragic history of it all ... but was encouraged by Johnstown's resurgence in the years following their flood.
And now ... we'll get to be a part history through this mission trip in Nashville! I mean, we may not make it into the library's digital flood project ... but our deeds will be recorded in the book on high! (And that's the history that really matters!)
Monday, March 7, 2011
A Message From Ann
Here's a little note from our guest blogger Ann, one of the mission trippers...
I'm really happy and honored to be among the "Frankfort Five," who will soon be heading to Nashville!
The more I learn about the ongoing PDA mission in Nashville, the more excited and sure I am about wanting be part of this effort to rebuild a city ... and radiate the Light!
I'm grateful to the Presbytery for this opportunity to serve and for the grants that make it possible for Larry & me to be part of it. I'm so thankful to our pastor Allison for leading us on another one of her Great Adventures ... and for encouraging us and teaching us to "Be the Light." Or, as she tells us (quoting from our Savior): "You are the Light of the World." Wow!!
Look out, Nashville! Here we come!
The Great Adventure!
Ann's post reminded me of a song--an oldie but a goody by Steven Curtis Chapman. You can watch the video here....
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Mission Trip Meeting #2
Wednesday night Larry, Ann, Ruth, and I traveled to Butler for the second of two info meetings for the Beaver-Butler Presbytery Nashville mission trip for small churches. (Thought I'd mention those details again in case you had forgotten/wondered who we were!) Joyce, Ruth's friend, wasn't able to come but assures us that she is already packed and ready to go! (And we still have 2 weeks before we leave for the trip! Can you tell she's excited?? :0)
Almost all of us who were going on the trip were able to attend the meeting, which was really neat. 45 people is alot! I tried to sneak some pictures as we were meeting...
These are our fearless leaders...Joyce (L) and CF (R).
...there are a variety of ages going on this trip. I didn't get an exact headcount, but I'd guess there are probably a dozen teenagers going on this trip. And the Frankfort folks were very impressed by not just the enthusiastic participation of the teens, but also the quality of the contributions they made. I personally enjoyed the obviously loving interactions they had with some of the older members of the group with whom they have been on a trip previously.
For the final part of the meeting, Joyce shared with us some pictures she had taken with her son Luke on their scouting trip down to Nashville. Among the pictures she took was this one...
In the picture, the man is standing in front of his home. He is showing them how high the flood was...it was incredible to hear the story and to see all the damage left behind after the floodwaters receded.
The water has long since dried up, of course, but the damage still remains even after almost a year.
And in just a couple weeks, we'll be traveling from PA to TN (and back again) to be the church for them because "...the Lord has anointed me ... to bind up the brokenhearted...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." (Is 61:1, 3) (one of the Scripture passages from the meeting!)
Almost all of us who were going on the trip were able to attend the meeting, which was really neat. 45 people is alot! I tried to sneak some pictures as we were meeting...
These are our fearless leaders...Joyce (L) and CF (R).
 |
| (We did a lot of laughing last night!) |
One of the activities we did was, of course, a "get to know you" game where everyone was given a brown lunch bag with an object in it. Then you had to go around and find the piece that goes with it. Ruth and I lucked out because I had a lock and she had the key (feel free to pause for a moment to sing the Madonna lyrics, if you know them! :0) ...and we were sitting right next to each other! Larry on the other hand, had a green gardening glove in his bag and had to search for the mate...
...and he found Bob, who had the other green glove! Bob is a contractor who has gone on a number of mission trips already. In fact, his wife and kids are all going on the trip this year! (They also have already offered to host the reunion party after the trip is over!)
After that game, CF passed out some Scripture passages for each group to study. (In case you are wondering you can find the Scriptures here, here, and here.) We were supposed to 1) read the passage together, 2) talk about what words or phrases that struck out to us, and 3) talk about how the passage applies to the mission trip. Here's a picture of a group studying their passage:
As you can see from these pictures (like the ones above and this one from the get to know you game...)
...there are a variety of ages going on this trip. I didn't get an exact headcount, but I'd guess there are probably a dozen teenagers going on this trip. And the Frankfort folks were very impressed by not just the enthusiastic participation of the teens, but also the quality of the contributions they made. I personally enjoyed the obviously loving interactions they had with some of the older members of the group with whom they have been on a trip previously.
For the final part of the meeting, Joyce shared with us some pictures she had taken with her son Luke on their scouting trip down to Nashville. Among the pictures she took was this one...
The water has long since dried up, of course, but the damage still remains even after almost a year.
And in just a couple weeks, we'll be traveling from PA to TN (and back again) to be the church for them because "...the Lord has anointed me ... to bind up the brokenhearted...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." (Is 61:1, 3) (one of the Scripture passages from the meeting!)
Pics from Nashville Mission trip meeting #2
If you'd like to see more photos from the meeting, you can click here to see the "set" I made on Flikr.
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