Emergency Response Team

Your Emergency Response Team was ready for the latest disaster in Texas, Tropical Storm Imelda. They began watching its progress a few days before it dumped 40 to 50 inches of rain in the Beaumont and Galveston/Houston Dioceses. Chairman Harry Storey was able to get financial support from Supreme and the local Knights went to work helping victims and feeding the rescue workers and volunteers. To date, there have been 37 Knights from 15 councils affected by the storm and, between gift cards and grants, we have been able to give those who wanted it a little financial help. Besides helping financially, our team is there to help the affected Knights navigate through a very difficult time and to a brighter future.

• Council 6456 Knights in Conroe assisted an elderly widowed parishioner get help for a leaky roof, assisted neighbors and friends with cleanup efforts, and a couple Knights (one who is a retired landscaper) are working with the priest to redesign the drainage around the church to make sure that it doesn’t flood again.
• Council 12320 Knights in Kingwood provided lunch and cleaning supplies for a Knight whose home flooded. They also worked with Catholic Charities to create a Houston Food Distribution site one weekend. Besides organizing pallets of food, bagging groceries, loading cars and directing traffic for over 800 families, they also provided lunch for 45 volunteers!
• Council 6878 Knights in Humble cleaned out flooded homes and helped a flooded Knight move furniture. They also cleaned out the flooded Humble Chapter of Birthright and provided lunch to all the volunteers.
• Council 6557 Knights in Spring helped set up and man temporary Red Cross shelters.
• Council 6527 Knights in Katy worked with a parish team to clean out flooded homes in the neighborhood.
• Council 3406 Knights in Bridge City in the Beaumont Diocese served breakfast and lunch to 40 National Guardsmen for 4 days!

The Emergency Response Team is headed by Harry Storey (214-557-2923). The State is broken down into five areas. Ben Oani (214-478-9116) covers Fort Worth, Dallas, and Tyler. Mike Buecher (210-710-1457) has San Antonio, Laredo, Corpus Christi, and Brownsville. Austin, Victoria, Galveston/Houston, and Beaumont are coved by Larry Pellerito (281-224-3728). Robert Leal (806-781-9875) is over Amarillo and Lubbock. El Paso and San Angelo are covered by Harry Storey. Our hope is that this group has nothing to do all year, but if they are needed to assist in an emergency, the Texas Knights of Columbus Emergency Response Coordinators (State, Regional, Diocesan, and Council) are ready and trained to help.

I was able to find a few pictures of the Houston Food Distribution in conjunction with Catholic Charities. Please find them attached. Feel free to use them as you see fit. They are all of Council 12320 in Kingwood. The event was held on Sat, 10/5 at St. Martha Catholic Church in Kingwood. I’m not sure of the Knight’s names, but the one yellow vest was worn by the Council Emergency Response Coordinator, Pat Zastoupil. Diocesan ERC, Jerry “G” Giegerich (Council 6878), and I (Council 12327) were also in attendance, but not pictured. Photos by Jerry “G” Giegerich.