Hurricane Ike - an opportunity to practice what we preach.

On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike stormed ashore at Galveston, TX, with devastation in its 200 mile wide path, extending from the Gulf of Mexico through East Texas to as far north as Ohio. Many evacuees from Galveston and Houston sought shelter in Huntsville, Walker County, TX. However, within hours, 96% of Walker County residents were without power, This power outage lasted many days, leaving local residents in need of help themselves.

In this blog, the Huntsville Relief Society women share their stories about preparedness and survival through and following this storm.

The Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church) is perhaps the oldest and largest women’s organization in the world. Founded in 1842, its stated goal was to relieve suffering and save souls. The Relief Society in Huntsville is dedicated to those same purposes today.

As a designated evacuation site, there are repeated opportunities to assist others when storms buffet the Gulf Coast causing destruction severe enough for mandated evacuations. At the same time, preparedness for people in Huntsville is an ongoing need. It is hoped that information found here will help others prepare for the next storm or emergency.

Grettle Payne
President, Huntsville 1st Ward Relief Society