First set of TAB staff members trained for Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief

Three members of The Alabama Baptist (TAB) staff were trained in Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief (ABDR) on April 5–6. 

This is the first group of TAB staff members to participate in ABDR training with the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions — and it won’t be the last. TAB encourages staff members to be trained and counts the time spent with disaster relief as work time.  

Exciting opportunity

“I’m excited to offer this opportunity to our staff,” TAB’s editor-in-chief Jennifer Davis Rash said. “We understand the need for trained disaster relief volunteers and this provides a chance for all of our staff members to be involved when disaster strikes — some providing news coverage and some working to assist those affected.”

During the recent weekend training Susan Stevens, one of TAB’s outside advertising representatives, and Janet Erwin, TAB’s executive editor, were trained in mass feeding. Bill Gilmore, TAB’s director of sales, was trained in mudout work.

“I was pleasantly surprised at the number of people attending, the variety of training offered and the multigenerational appeal,” said Erwin. 

“I survived a tornado in 1974 in a mobile home that was destroyed. While disaster relief teams were not in service at that time, I will always remember the help my church, friends and coworkers demonstrated to me. 

“I could not have made it without them. I want to be the ‘hands and feet of Jesus’ sharing that help and hope with other disaster victims,” Erwin said. “I have worked alongside trained disaster relief people in four different local disasters but had never taken the time to attend the training,” she said. “This time when I learned of the training opportunity, I knew it was time for me to attend.” 

For more information on how you can get trained with ABDR, visit www.sbdr.org.