RICHMOND - Four teams of Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are helping residents in Madison County recover from a tornado on May 8, and additional teams are preparing to aid areas of Eastern Kentucky affected by last week’s floods.

KBC Disaster Relief Associate Coy Webb said more than 15 volunteers from the Tates Creek Baptist Association are currently serving in Madison County after deploying on May 9 to clear debris and complete chainsaw jobs. Several chaplain volunteers are also serving, he said.

The active volunteers are from Berea, Georgetown, Hodgenville, Kirksville, Richmond and Somerset. Twelve additional volunteers from Eubank Baptist Church are scheduled to arrive on site by Wednesday morning.

The Madison County effort is anticipated to be complete by Friday, May 15, Webb said.

The KBC is also organizing relief efforts for areas of Eastern Kentucky affected by recent flooding. Webb said the KBC is targeting its efforts in Floyd, Owsley and Pike counties, where volunteers will assist with mud-out.

Three volunteers from Muhlenberg, Utica and Williamstown are currently serving with a recovery unit in Pike County, and five volunteers from Floyd County are now serving in Floyd County. Webb is hoping more volunteers will soon be joining both efforts.

The KBC is also organizing volunteers for the Owsley County effort, he said.

Volunteers serving in Madison County are stationed at First Baptist Church of Richmond. The Pike County team is based out of McVeigh Baptist Church in McVeigh, and Floyd County volunteers are stationed at Maytown Center in Langley.

Volunteers are still needed for the work in Eastern Kentucky. Trained volunteers may contact the KBC Baptist Men on Mission office at 502-489-3527 or 866-489-3527 (toll free in Kentucky).

Contributions to the KBC’s disaster relief efforts may be sent to the KBC, Dept. 5008, P.O. Box 740041, Louisville, KY 40201-9976. Please note “disaster relief” in the check memo. Online donations are also being accepted at www.kybaptist.org/dr.

Kentucky Baptists are part of a larger network of Southern Baptist volunteers trained to respond to disasters by manning mass feeding operations, using chainsaws to clear downed trees and limbs, clear mud out of flooded homes and more. Together, Southern Baptists comprise the third largest relief organization in the United States.

To learn more about Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief, go to www.kybaptist.org/dr.

The Kentucky Baptist Convention is a cooperative missions and ministry organization made up of more than 2,400 autonomous Baptist churches in Kentucky. A variety of state and worldwide ministries are coordinated through its administrative offices in Louisville, Ky. including: missions work, disaster relief, ministry training and support, church development, evangelism and more. For more information, visit www.kybaptist.org.