Dear Editor,

In the wake of tornadoes that have devastated large portions of Alabama, many people in Chilton County woke up with grateful hearts that our area was spared the worst of the destruction—and yet heavy hearts that mourn the loss of so much life and property statewide.

While most of us can’t go into these areas and help with medical rescue, restoration of electricity, cleanup or reconstruction, we can all help in another way. The cost of restoring some semblance of normalcy to our neighbors in other parts of Alabama will be staggering. Entire communities have been erased, and the number of citizens who are homeless today and need a roof over their heads and a meal to sustain them is still not even known.

Many agencies are actively responding to this crisis, and they all need financial support to do so. Among these agencies is the United Methodist Committee on Relief, an arm of the United Methodist Church dedicated to responding to emergency situations both in the U.S. and around the world.

Since all of UMCOR’s administrative costs are covered by One Great Hour of Sharing, a church-wide offering supported by United Methodists everywhere, every penny donated goes directly to the disaster indicated by the giver.

We all want to help our fellow Alabamians immediately, and this is one way to take action today. All donations designated “Storms 2011, UMCOR Advance #3021326” will be gratefully received at any United Methodist Church or may be mailed to: UMCOR, P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087.

Gifts may also be made online at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/. All donations are tax deductible.

Marsha Littleton, Clanton First United Methodist Church