Food for body and soul

By STEPHANIE TAYLOR FERRIELL
Leader-Democrat Editor

Experiencing that tornado, which destroyed their tiny town, means they can empathize with current victims. "They're overwhelmed, there's nowhere to turn," Marilyn Losson said, describing one's initial reaction following a large-scale disaster. "Then, they see there are good people and decide they can go on. It's a process."

Mike Baumgartner, president and CEO of Disaster Assistance, relies on volunteers such as the Lossons to give him a hand when he rolls into a disaster stricken area in his kitchen on wheels, a 40-foot RV. Baumgartner estimates 1,000 volunteers have helped him out in Pekin, some for just a day, others for weeks.

He was in south Texas, where he had been working wildfires, when he was contacted by Kevin Blaloch, who pastors Big Spring Church of Christ. He rolled into Pekin the Sunday following the tornados, setting up next to the MJ Auto car lot. A small white sign along State Road 60 simply reads: Free meals daily 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. As of Tuesday morning at 11 a.m., the ministry had served 9,193 meals to tornado victims and volunteers.

"I usually stay where I am until something else happens," he explained. When he's not cooking and serving meals, Baumgartner speaks at churches and tries to promote his mission. He also posts on Facebook to his 4,000 friends and blogs daily about where he's stationed at the time.

Baumgartner has scheduled volunteers in Pekin through the second week in April and may stay beyond that, depending on the need. James and Sarah Goggans of Olatne, Kan., traveled to Pekin to assist Baumgartner. They've been lending a hand since March 4. It's the first time they've assisted long-term at a disaster site. "We're retired now and have a little more freedom than we used to," explained James Goggans. The couple were in Joplin, Mo., following the EF5 tornado which struck the city last May. The scene in Pekin "is what we expected, yet at the same time, we feel for everyone impacted," he said.

Baumgartner was born and raised in Jefferson County, Ky., and lived much of his adult life in central and northern Indiana. He operated greenhouses and for a time was in the condo industry in Florida. When Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, "I thought, I should go volunteer." He did, linking up with a church in Mobile, Ala. "I went thinking I would be there a couple of weeks," he said. He ended up staying eight months, traveling back home just six days during that time period. He worked with another disaster group until establishing his ministry and setting out on his own in the spring of 2008.

"It took me 50 years to find out what my purpose in life should be," said the 61-year-old. "What I'm doing now is greater than anything I've ever done."

Today, "home" is the 2008 Guf Stream RV outfitted with a deep freeze and four convection ovens. Experience has enabled Baumgartner to get his routine down to a science. In two hours, he can have adequate food prepared to serve 600 people -- singlehandedly. "This was designed so I can leave [as soon as he hears about a disaster], go, get to work as soon as I get there, whether anyone comes with me or not."

Wherever he lands, Baumgartner knows people will come, ready and willing to lend a hand.

Tuesday, Tilly Gilbert, Salem, a teenager on spring break, was packing lunches with her little cousin, Caleb Tucker, and her aunt Michelle. "My aunt always has projects for us," she said. Referring to the meal program, she said, "I think it's good. I like helping people." Each lunch contains a sandwich, chips, cookies, and an inspirational message from the sponsoring churches.

Across from the tents where food was being placed in sacks, then packed in boxes for delivery, Marty Fleming, Wichita Falls, Texas, manned a grill. After he and two friends heard about the tornado, they felt called to help out. "A fellow in our church said New Pekin got hit just as bad [as Henryville], but it's not been as publicized." The church took up a collection, "some gave $10, some gave $200," Fleming said. With $2,700 in cash and a good supply of home-baked cookies, the trio hitched their smoker to a truck and headed east. They arrived Monday night.

As he flipped burgers, Fleming gestured to a stack of boxes which contained 540 burgers and 320 hot dogs, all of which he planned to cook Tuesday. Baumgartner said what wasn't served that day would be cooled, then reheated later in the week.

Fleming said he's done plenty of volunteering, much of it working concessions at high school football games, "but I've never done something like this." He and his friends plan to stay through Friday.

No job is without its challenges and the biggest one Baumgartner faces is fundraising. "It's much easier to cook 1,000 meals than raise $1,000," he admitted. When he responded to his first disaster, the program had $450 in the bank. Over the next three months, Baumgartner and a bevy of volunteers cooked and served 39,000 meals and he had some money in the bank when he finished. "People wonder if there are any miracles today," he said. "That $450 multiplied just like the loaves and fishes....Sometimes, it gets pretty slim. I'm not an evangelist, so I don't know how to say it, but the Lord does provide. We get to almost nothing and funds show up."

Six area Churches of Christ, including four in Washington County (Big Spring, Fredericksburg, Martinsburg and High Street) are supporting Baumgartner's mission. Anyone wishing to donate may do so through the website, www.disasterassistancecoc.com or by sending a check to Big Spring Church of Christ, 8029 Big Springs Rd., Pekin, Ind. 47150.

Baumgartner said Washington County churches and residents "have embraced our work probably as well or better than anywhere." In addition to monetary donations, a local soft drink distributor whom he knows only as "Andy," brought a refrigerated trailer which allows Baumgartner to have food delivered by Sysco, saving him several hours of daily shopping. A septic company is taking care of dumping the RV tank.

A typical day when he's at a disaster scene finds Baumgartner climbing down from his bedroom loft around 5 or 5:30 a.m. He's cooking by 7 and volunteers begin deliveries by 10:30. "We want to get out in the neighborhoods by 11 so people know they have a meal and don't have to stop work to get food," he explained. The kitchen serves walkups until 3 p.m.

Baumgartner spends the afternoon shopping as needed, blogging and posting Facebook updates before turning in. It's by no means an easy life, but it's the life Baumgartner's convinced he's destined for.

"It's hard work, long hours, travel and always worrying about funding, yet when I'm done at the end of the day, I feel happy; I've helped someone in need."