Practice makes Perfect

Members of the Southwest Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief Chainsaw Team -- Jerry Hensley, Carterville; Tony Vonier, Joplin; and Derek Sandtorf, Carl Junction -- cut the remnants of felled trees to a manageable size on a lot at Locust and Elm in Nevada that will be the site of a new parsonage for Pine Street Baptist Church. The volunteer group, formed to respond to southwest Missouri disasters such as tornadoes, gets valuable practice in clearing the brush and in working together through the project. Similar groups serve other areas of the state, according to David Landwehr, pastor of the Pine Street Baptist Church.

By Lynn A. Wade

Nevada Herald

Members of the Southwest Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief Chainsaw Unit braved freezing temperatures and high winds Saturday morning, to gain valuable experience in clearing trees and brush -- helping a friend in the process.

The team, organized more than a year ago to help in the wake of disasters such as tornadoes and floods, the chainsaw team uses heavy equipment, elbow grease and of course, chainsaws to do the work. This time, there's no disaster, but in order to be more prepared and more adept at working together, the group is clearing a treed lot in Nevada to make way for a new parsonage at Locust and Elm for Pine Street Baptist Church.

Derek Sandtorf, 9, of Carl Junction, is the youngest member of the crew, which expected to have more than 20 members on the site by the end of the day.

"We're just doing this for practice," he said.

So far, he doesn't wield a chainsaw, but hopes to do so soon. Still, Derek is ready and willing to help, like all the other members, and participates in many ways. He helps organize tools, pulls away brush by hand and on Saturday served as media spokesman.

Derek's mother, Lynette, and his father, Lee, are both members of the group as well.

The team worked together, almost like one machine, as Lee Sandtorf operated a backhoe, and Jerry Hensley, Carterville, and Tony Vonier, Joplin, used chainsaws donated to the group by Stihl to make critical cuts. The team expertly felled trees away from the house just a few feet away.

"They really do good work, and we needed some trees cleared," said David Landwehr, pastor of the Pine Street Baptist Church, echoing that the practice will help the group to respond more effectively should they be needed during tornado season.

The Pine Street Baptist Church, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2002, was in need of a new parsonage.

Despite the diligent efforts of the congregation in the upkeep of the structure, rehabbing it became too expensive and the decision was made to build a new parsonage instead.

Landwehr said volunteer teams will be taking part in each phase of the lot preparation and construction, but the next team won't be arriving until April, when the weather should be much more agreeable for construction work, with the last team slated to complete the project in August.