Monte Lake, British Columbia
cooking for a crowd
notes from the f i eld
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In Mayfield, Kentucky, MDS volunteer and heavy equipment operator Justin Weaver helps clean up the remnants of Al Doran’s home demolished by an EF 4 tornado in December 2021.
help to recover from their losses.” At Monte Lake, 28 structures were destroyed by the White Rock fire, which displaced thousands of people. MDS Canada, working in partnership with its B.C. Unit, will rebuild up to five new homes in the community over the summer and into the fall. “These people lost everything,” said Penner, noting one family of four has been living in a small camper since losing their home last August. “I could see the strain on the parent’s faces after spending a winter inside that small space,” he said. Insurance can be hard to get in remote areas like Monte Lake, or is prohibitively expensive, leaving some people uninsured or under-insured. “The people we are helping fall into those categories,” Penner said. The 2021 wildfire season in B.C. was the third worst on record, with more than 1,600 fires burning nearly 8,700 square kilometres/3,360 square miles of land.
DIGITAL-READY
Behind the Hammer is also available in a digital version with additional content for easy access on your phone, tablet, or laptop: www.mds.org/digitalbth-spring2022. Subscribe to upcoming issues here : https://mds.org/e-mail-and- newsletters/
Beignets Dulac resident Abraham Parfait shared these beignets—a fried French pastry—with MDS volunteers who were building his new home.
OHIO
Apple butter mixed with hope The Dohner family, along with their church family at Ashland Brethren in Christ in Ohio, has a yearly tradition of making apple butter. This year, they donated proceeds from their apple butter sales to MDS. “We all recognized the challenges recent tornadoes brought and unanimously voted to aid MDS in your service to those in need,” said Dale Dohner.
11/4 c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/8 tsp. kosher salt 2 large eggs, separated 1/2 c. granulated sugar 1 tbsp. melted butter
the U.S. served 25,286 days. They gave their time, skills and compassion to build 74 new homes, complete 114 repairs, finish 343 cleanups, and build five new bridges for households who experienced a disaster.
FLORIDA
KENTUCKY
MDS Annual Celebration brings joyful connections near and far The MDS Annual Celebration, held January 21-22 in Sarasota, Florida, drew nearly 400 joyful participants, some in-person and some through a livestream. Together, they reminisced, reconnected, and shared their vision for the future. Exploring the theme “Restoring Hope With Love,” the celebration included opening remarks from MDS Executive Director Kevin King, who reflected on how he and other MDS leaders were put to the test during 2021. “At the very least, 2021 convinced me anew that MDS volunteers can do hard things—together,” he said. “We often see innovation come out of these periods of change and upheaval. We can restore hope with love.” During Fiscal Year 2021 (August 1, 2020-July 31, 2021), 3,393 MDS volunteers from across Canada and
Unique MDS partnership is “God’s handiwork” “God’s handiwork.” That’s how Heather Nesler sums up the connections that brought MDS to help people in tornado-stricken Mayfield, Kentucky. Nesler, who grew up in Mayfield and still lives there with her family, is helping to lead a new nonprofit, Homes and Hope for Kentucky, created to serve as the long-term disaster recovery organization helping tornado survivors in the town of about 10,000 people. “These connections that brought MDS to Mayfield—I believe they are God’s handiwork,” said Nesler, who also describes her love for her hometown. “Mayfield is a very close-knit community,” she said. “It’s a great place to raise your family.”
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract Vegetable oil, for frying Powdered sugar, for dusting
Making apple butter in Ohio
BRITISH COLUMBIA
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl, combine egg yolks, sugar, ¼ cup water, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir to combine, then fold into dry ingredients.
Volunteers needed in Monte Lake With all the attention on the severe flooding that hit British Columbia in November 2021, it’s easy to forget about those who lost their homes to last summer’s wildfires in that province. But MDS Canada hasn’t forgotten. In May they will begin rebuilding homes in Monte Lake, located about 50 kilometers/30 miles from Kamloops in the B.C. interior. “While we are responding to help people affected by the floods in Princeton and the Fraser Valley, we also want to help those impacted by the fires,” said Ross Penner, Director of Canadian Operations.“They also need
Beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, then fold into batter.
Heat oil to 375º. Drop small spoonfuls of batter into hot oil and fry about 5 minutes.
Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
14 behind the hammer
behind the hammer 15
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