Volunteers should plan to meet at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 31 at the Washington County Service Center located north of Hugo at 19955 Forest Road North (4 miles north of Hugo on Hwy 61). Volunteers must be 16 or older and are encouraged to come in groups by carpool. Please pre-register by calling the City of Hugo at 651.762.6300. No parking will be available near the disaster site and all volunteers will be bussed from the Service Center with shuttle transportation provided to and from the work site throughout the day.

"Volunteers can provide a tremendous amount of help," said Cindy Johnson, Director of Disaster Services Director for Lutheran Social Service/Lutheran Disaster Response. "Volunteers not only provide valuable physical assistance, but they also let families know that they are not alone."

Fifty homes were completely destroyed, 159 damaged and another 61 homes had hail damage. If you can help, please bring work gloves and rakes and wear boots or tennis shoes. Clean up will take place – rain or shine – so please bring rain gear if necessary. Tetanus shots will be provided at the Service Center in Forest Lake if you don't have a current vaccination.

Special Note: Volunteers will only be allowed access to the disaster area via the volunteer busses. Individuals not wearing wristbands (used to designate our volunteers) will be stopped by the police.

Here are directions to the Washington County Service Center from the Twin Cities:

Take I-35 North
Take the Highway 97 exit
Turn east onto Highway 97 – go 1.9 miles
Turn south onto Highway 61 – go 1.2 miles
Turn right onto Headwaters Parkway
The new Washington County Service Center/Library complex will be on your right

Financial donations will also be needed. Individual insurance will leave some expenses unmet. Donations can be sent to Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, 2485 Como Ave., St. Paul MN 55108 for Hugo Tornado, or visit http://www.lssmn.org/new_develop.htm.

Skilled volunteers continue to be needed to help families affected by massive flooding last August in Winona and Rushford counties who are rebuilding their homes. To volunteer in southeastern Minnesota, please call 612.922.0776.

For more information, please call 651.969.2289 or email at rachel.peterson@lssmn.org

A note from Bishop Rogness...

Important Information about Hugo Tornado from Bishop Peter Rogness

Cindy Johnson of Lutheran Disaster Response is involved in the relief efforts following the Hugo tornado, and has passed on this information: Cindy has toured the area and is working with other volunteer organizations for coordination of relief efforts. Regular updates regarding relief efforts will be posted on the Lutheran Disaster Response page on the LSS website. There is a widely publicized clean-up effort scheduled for Saturday, May 31. Cindy has concerns that there may be more volunteers than can be used that day, and she and others are seeking to open up Friday as a volunteer/clean-up day as well. If such an effort is approved, that information will be posted on the above website immediately. Financial donations will be needed. Since there was not widespread damage to infrastructure, it is expected that FEMA will not be declaring this a federal disaster site. Individual insurance will leave some expenses unmet. Donations could be used for general assistance to those who have suffered financial loss. Donations can be sent either through the Saint Paul Area Synod,105 University Ave. West, St. Paul MN 55103 for Hugo Tornado, or to Lutheran Disaster Response, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, 2485 Como Ave., St. Paul MN 55108, also for Hugo Tornado. Camp Noah, the ministry to children affected by disaster, run by LSS of Minnesota, is holding camps this summer in southeast Minnesota for families affected by the floods, and will also be exploring a Camp Noah for children affected by this latest tornado. Volunteers and financial support will be needed for these efforts as well. We are fortunate that our church has the experience and commitment to be able to bring such important resources to bear at this time.