Starting the first week of February, work will begin in Ottawa and Naplate, Illinois, repairing and rebuilding homes damaged by the tornado that went through the area February 28, 2017. This will be an Illinois Unit project.   The local recovery committee has identified several homes with which we will be working over the next five or six months to repair. One brick home will be gutted and restored, beginning with replacing the roof of the home. We have volunteers signed up to begin work the first week of February. We expect to rebuild the roof that week and get the house once more under cover.

Volunteers are now needed:

• We need a state licensed roofing contractor
• Demolition crews
• Carpenters
• Cooks

In the coming months, we will need:

• Electricians, including a licensed electrician
• Plumbers, including a licensed plumber
• Cooks
• Drywallers
• Painters

Persons interested in volunteering on this project may contact Jill McHugh, our Volunteer Coordinator.

In addition, we are looking to borrow a pickup or cargo van from time to time during the course of the project. Please contact Ronn Frantz, our Project Coordinator, if you know of a vehicle or vehicles that could be used for hauling materials when we have work crews on the job.

We will also be needing to purchase additional tools and supplies for our work and for housing and feeding our crews. Donations for work in Ottawa/Naplate can be made out Illinois MDS Unit and mailed to Mahlon Householter. Please add in the memo line, “Ottawa/Naplate.”

MDS Ottawa/Naplate Leadership Committee

Ronn Frantz, Project Coordinator.   Text or call at 773/401-4165.

Jill McHugh, Volunteer Coordinator. Text or call at 708/522-8080.

Doug Goertzen, Construction Supervisor. 309/256-6482.

Ronn, Doug, and Jill can all be emailed at ILMDSunit@gmail.com.

Mahlon Householter, Treasurer. 309/231-6262. house@mtco.com 1545 Church Rd., Eureka, IL   61530.