White Oak Golden K Members Deploy with Salvation Army Disaster Canteen Vehicle to Florida following Hurricane Frances

A few days before Hurricane Frances came ashore in Florida, several members of the Kiwanis Club of White Oak Golden K (WOGK) who had volunteered to operate the Disaster Canteen Vehicle assigned to the Salvation Army Newnan Center were contacted by Ms. Carlus Phillips, Director of the Newnan Center,  and asked to standby for possible deployment with the vehicle somewhere in Florida after Frances had passed through. 

On Monday, September 6, 2004 (Labor Day), WOGK members Frank Reece and Glover Sewell drove the vehicle from Newnan to Brunswick, Georgia where they reported to Rob Walter, Director of Disaster Services for the state of Georgia.  In Brunswick, they were paired with another two-man team from Elberton, Georgia - Joe Johnson and Wayne Guest - who had a similar vehicle and previous experience operating it in a disaster area.  Frank and Glover worked with this team the entire time they were deployed.  After briefings in Brunswick, they departed on Tuesday morning for Orlando, Florida.


                  Frank Reece (L) and Glover Sewell leaving Newnan on Labor Day

In Orlando, they loaded the vehicle with food and water and proceeded to Apopka, Florida where they served 1,260 meals and, with the assistance of the Apopka Police department,  distributed several hundred bags of ice and gallon containers of water.  On Wednesday they were back in Apopka serving 2,100 meals in two feedings and also distributing ice.

Thursday was a travel and resupply day.  They drove to Sebring, Florida where they reported to the Salvation Army Corps Commander, Captain Mary Holmes.  They drove two of the Sebring Salvation Army trucks to the Salvation Army warehouse in Tampa to pick up supplies and bring them back to Sebring (220 miles round trip).

Friday saw our two heroes in Okeechobee, Florida serving 1,950 meals in two feedings.  Frank says they received ice from a well organized FEMA ice and water point, and they got excellent support from the local sheriff's Department.

                       Chow Time in Okeechobee, Florida.  Serving the meals are:  Right
                to left - Glover Sewell (yellow cap), Wayne Guest, Local Volunteer, and Frank
                Reece.  Not shown is Joe Johnson who was doing the cooking.

Saturday was an easier day.  They were sent to Basinger, Florida, where they served only 150 meals and some ice. 

            Frank Reece (AKA "Gunga Din") passing out water and explaining some fine
            point about the Canteen Vehicle to a local resident in Basinger, Florida

Frank and Glover stayed overnight in Sebring and got an early start (4:00 am) on Sunday, bringing the vehicle to Savannah, Georgia and leaving it with the Salvation Army facility there for maintenance.  They got back home to Newnan at about 6:00 pm Sunday evening.

In a written "After Action Report" to the Director of the Salvation Army Newnan Center, Frank and Glover recommended adding two large coolers, two six-foot folding tables, a two-burner gas cooking unit (to be used outside of the vehicle), and an 8' x 8' pop-up canopy to be used with the vehicle.  They believe adding these items would make the unit more effective, especially when meals are prepared on site.

They conclude the deployment was physically demanding but was a very rewarding experience for both of them.  The people they served were in desperate need of the food, water, and ice they distributed and were very appreciative of the service they provided.