Tag Archives: Helps

We will rebuild… we need your help. Reply

by • Donations • Tags: , , , , , , , ,

On June 4th, 2012 lightening sparked a fire now known as the Little Bear Fire in the mountains overlooking Lincoln County, New Mexico. From there it grew to become New Mexico’s most devastating fire in history. When the smoke had cleared, this little mountain community was left with over 250 homes and businesses that were completely wiped out. Homes burned, lives turned upside down, pristine forest destroyed.

Unfortunately, shortly after the flames were extinguished, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that they will not be offering any personal financial assistance to the survivors of this fire.

Little Bear Recovery TeamIn the wake of this disaster, the Little Bear Recovery Team was formed. This team is made up of all volunteers who live and work in the Lincoln County area. We were formed with the sole purpose of providing support to the survivors of this devastating incident. We are dedicated to helping each family that was affected by this fire to reach a point of full recovery from their losses. It is our earnest hope and prayer that by sharing our hearts and resources with our friends and neighbors in need, we can help them overcome the tremendous obstacles that lie ahead during this recovery period.

The road to recovery from this fire and the possible flooding is going to be long and hard. It is also going to be very expensive, especially for those who have lost more than they can personally shelter. But you can make a life-changing difference for these families.

By making a financial donation to the Little Bear Fire Relief Fund, you are giving hope to these families in need. Won’t you please consider giving a kind donation to this important cause?

100% of your donations will go directly to these families.

The SBA is Here! Reply

by • Recovery Center • Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Lincoln County, NM (July 11, 2012): The Small Business Administration Disaster Relief Team is Here! They have set up an office here at the Little Bear Recovery Center on Hwy 48 1.75 miles North of the Hwy 37 cutoff. Please come by and register with them if you have had any sort of loss of personal property or any kind of business loss as a result of the damage caused by the Little Bear Fire incident.

The SBA is available Monday – Friday from 9am – 5:30pm at the Little Bear Recovery Center. The SBA will be here in person until the close of the business day on Thursday, July 26th, 2012.

GETTING DISASTER HELP FROM SBA: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • SBA offers low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private, non-profit organizations.
  • SBA disaster loans are the primary source of money to pay for repair or replacement costs not fully covered by insurance or other compensation.
  • Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence.
  • Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to replace personal property.
  • Businesses may borrow up to $2 million for any combination of property damage or economic injury.
  • SBA offers low-interest working capital loans (called Economic Injury Disaster Loans) to small businesses and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes having difficulty meeting obligations as a result of the disaster.

SBA Will only be on site at the Recovery Center Until Thursday, July 26. The easiest way to sign up is with them in person, so please come by and take advantage of this opportunity. If you miss them in person, you can still apply by September 7th, 2012 for Physical Damages and April 9th, 2013 for Economic Injury by phone or over the internet. See below for details. But don’t wait, apply now!

THREE WAYS TO APPLY TO SBA

  • Apply in person at any Disaster Loan Outreach Center and receive personal, one-on-one help from an SBA representative. For information or to find a location near you, call SBA at (800) 659-2955 or visit our website at: http://www.sba.gov/content/current-disaster-declarations. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call (800) 877-8339.
  • You may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
  • You may complete a paper application and mail it to SBA at: 14925 Kingsport Rd., Ft. Worth, TX 76155-2243.

IMPORTANT NOTE TO SURVIVORS: The SBA Loan Process is the first step for many other types of financial assistance that will be available. If you do not apply with them, you may not be able to apply with other entities and funding sources. So please take a few minutes and do this application process. You don’t have to use any part of the loan if you are accepted.

For more detailed facts about the SBA, please refer to this fact sheet: SBA Fact Sheet

Sand Bag Fillers Needed Immediately… Reply

by • Volunteering • Tags: , , , ,

Lincoln County, NM (July 1, 2012): We just got word that the fire department at Copper Ridge needs help filling 70,000 sand bags in order to get ready for flooding.

The contact person is Joe Kenmore. 575-937-2824.

Please consider donating some time this week to fill sand bags…

All Hands On Deck: Samaritan’s Purse Really Needs Our Help… Reply

by • Volunteering • Tags: , , , , , ,

Lincoln County, NM (July 1, 2012): Samaritan’s Purse, in partnership with Angus Church of the Nazarene, has begun recovery work as of  Thursday, June 28th.

Immediate Help Needed

They are in immediate daily need of more volunteers to help homeowners impacted by the Little Bear Fire by; sifting for personal items, loading debris into dumpsters, cutting trees, and providing emotion and spiritual support. If you think you could help us with any of the above please come and join us any/all days Monday through Saturday.

To volunteer please arrive at Angus Church at the following times:

Morning shift  -  Arrive at 7:30AM. You can work a half-day or a full day.

Afternoon shift  -  Arrive at 12:30PM.

There will be a short orientation covering safety and Samaritan’s Purse work policies, after which we will assign you to a team and have you working as quickly as we can.

Volunteers need to be a minimum of 16 years of age. If you are 16 or 17 you must be accompanied by a responsible adult (with a release signed by your parent). If you are 18 years or older, you will only need to complete a SP Volunteer Release.

Ok volunteers, let’s roll…

Please come appropriately dressed for difficult and hazardous work. Wear long pants, work boots, leather work gloves, and a hat. Sunscreen is strongly suggested. We will provide coolers full of ice and water, and a sandwich/snack for lunch.

Other Needs

Besides volunteers, we have the need for dump trucks or dump beds, skid steers and trailers, shovels, and wheel barrows.

If you are able, you may download and complete the volunteer forms prior to arrival by going to the following URL: www.spvolunteernetwork.org

For more information, you can call the church office at: (575) 336-8032

The Mission of Samaritan’s Purse

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ.

URGENT: Supplies Needed for the Survivors… 2

by • Donations • Tags: , , , , , ,

Lincoln County, NM (June 27, 2012): The following items are need immediately for the survivors of the Little Bear Fire:

  • Large trash cans
  • Tools such as shovels and rakes
  • Work gloves

If you can provide any of these items, please bring by the Donation Center at 1940 Sudderth Drive between 9am – 7pm Mon-Fri or between 9am – 3pm Sat. The center is closed on Sundays.

NOTE: If they are doing debris cleanup, whether fire survivor or volunteer, you are welcome to come get clothing at the Donation Center or at Christian Services that you can work in and then just throw away.

Also, the Donations Center still needs clothing racks and tables.  If you want them back, they need to be clearly marked.
Let’s all pitch in and help our neighbors…

Samaritan’s Purse Ready to Roll… Reply

by • Volunteering • Tags: , , , , , ,

Lincoln County, NM (June 26 2012): Samaritan’s Purse, in partnership with Angus Church of the Nazarene, is beginning recovery work on Thursday, June 28th.

We will begin helping homeowners impacted by the Little Bear Fire by; sifting for personal items, loading debris into dumpsters, cutting trees, and providing emotion and spiritual support. If you think you could help us with any of the above please come and join us.

To volunteer please arrive at Angus Church at 7:30AM. You can work a half-day or a full day.  If you can only work in the afternoon please come at 12:30PM. There will be a short orientation covering safety and Samaritan’s Purse work policies, after which we will assign you to a team and have you working as quickly as we can.

Volunteers need to be a minimum of 14 years of age. If you are 14 or 15 you must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. If you are 16 or 17 you must be accompanied by a responsible adult (with a release signed by your parent). If you are 18 years or older, you will only need to complete a SP Volunteer Release.

Ok volunteers, let’s roll…

Please come appropriately dressed for difficult and hazardous work. Wear long pants, work boots, leather work gloves, and a hat. Sunscreen is strongly suggested. We will provide coolers full of ice and water, and a sandwich/snack for lunch.

NOTE: If you have registered on this site to become a volunteer, we will be contacting you about this opportunity and coordinating the paperwork with Samaritan’s purse.

Besides volunteers, we have the need for dump trucks or dump beds, skid steers and trailers, shovels, and wheel barrows.

If you are able, you may download and complete the volunteer forms prior to arrival by going to the following URL: www.spvolunteernetwork.org

For more information, you can call the church office at: (575) 336-8032

The Mission of Samaritan’s Purse

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Little Bear Recovery Center Open for Help! Reply

by • Recovery Center • Tags: , , , , ,

Hello Neighbors,

We are very excited to announce the opening of the new Little Bear Recovery Center! This center is designed to be a resource of information for survivors of the Little Bear Fire. If you or someone you know has suffered any kind of loss during this incident, we are here to help. There are literally thousands of people in our community from dozens of organizations that are working together to try to offer assistance to the survivors of this fire. One of the main functions of the Resource Center will be to help the survivors navigate through all the information and resources to try to find the right solutions to meet their immediate and long-term recovery needs. This center will also be the coordination point for the volunteers that are working together to provide assistance to the survivors.

Where is the Recovery Center Located?

The Little Bear Recovery Center is located on Hwy 48 between mile marker 14 and 15 between Capitan and Bonito Park. It is approximately 1.75 miles North of the Hwy 37 turn off. It is on the East side of Hwy 48 (that means if you are coming from Capitan, then it will be on your left. If you are coming from Alto/Ruidoso, it will be on your right). The actual physical address is 1470 State Hwy 48. We will have a map in place soon!

When is the Little Bear Recovery Center Open?

Thanks to the dedication of the volunteer men and women who are staffing this office, we will be open from 7am – 7pm Monday through Friday and from 9am – 3pm on Saturdays. We will be closed on Sundays.

What will you find at the Little Bear Recovery Center?

If you are a survivor of the Little Bear Fire and have suffered a loss as a result of the fire…

  • People who are ready, willing and able to assist you as you begin to navigate through the options and choices that you are facing during this difficult time. Our case managers will work with you from beginning to end. We are local volunteers that have committed to helping you for the long haul.
  • Volunteer organizations that can offer you help from debris cleanup to insurance questions.
  • Resource guides and directories of available resources to help you answer questions quickly now and in the future.

If you are a volunteer wanting to help in the recovery effort…

  • People who can direct you to the right path of volunteering whether it be physical help, spiritual help. technical help, babysitting, etc.
  • Volunteer coordinators that will help get you qualified to start volunteering in this effort.
  • Training for your specific area of help.
  • Volunteer Organizations and experts that can help you get involved in their ongoing efforts.

Please come by and visit us at the Little Bear Recovery Center where neighbors are helping neighbors!

Insurance Day at the Recovery Center Reply

by • Insurance • Tags: , , ,

For Immediate Release

The Little Bear Recovery Team has arranged an Insurance Day at the Recovery Center. If you have suffered loss from this incident, please join us Saturday, June 23rd from 9:00AM to 3:00PM at the Recovery Center which is located at 1470 State Hwy 48 between Capitan and Alto. The turn off is about 1.75 miles North of the intersection of Hwy 48 and Hwy 37. It is on the East side of Hwy 48.

We will have several local insurance agents on hand to help you navigate through your personal insurance needs that pertain to your situation. Please bring anything that you have recovered already from your paperwork and let us help you get started.

Come get help on Insurance paperwork and questions…

Volunteers Needed… Please Sign Up Today Reply

by • Volunteering • Tags: , , , ,

Hello neighbors. We are now ready to start accepting applications for Volunteers here at the Little Bear Recovery Center! Please click on the tab at the top of the website named Volunteers and read through all of the information. You can then fill out the form and click Submit and you will be registered in our Volunteer database. Once you have registered, someone from our volunteer coordination office will contact you to get more information and start plugging you into the recovery effort as needed.

Neighbors helping neighbors…

Thanks in advance for all you are willing to do. This is a community effort and it starts with people like you who are willing to freely donate your time and skills for the benefit of others. Our collective hats off to you!

Things are really coming together… 4

by • Discussion • Tags: , , , , , ,


Wow! What an amazing first few days! The amount of support and coordination that has happened within the first 2 days of this task force is nothing short of staggering! Since our first meeting on Friday night here are some of the things that have taken place:

  • An administrative team was formed (see details below) with volunteers ready, willing and able to carry out their duties for the long haul.
  • Thanks to the coordination of Jon Ogden, the Ruidoso chapter of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints has donated a beautiful, fully functional facility right off Highway 48 right in the center of the hardest hit areas. This facility will be the primary face of this recovery team. We will use this building for case management, emergency food distribution, media support, inter-agency communications and coordination, volunteer coordination, volunteer babysitting, you name it! Thanks Jon and the LDS church!
  • Vic Currier and his donation support team have secured two large buildings directly across Highway 70 from Wal-Mart as a warehouse/distribution center. They then cleaned the facility and started receiving truckloads of donations by Saturday afternoon! Since then, they have done further enhancements, arranged help from the National Guard to help secure the facility, and even started to sort and catalog all the donations! Great work Vic and team! Vic has said that the warehouse will be open for donations drop off starting Monday, June 18th from 9am to 4pm.

“Please do not bring any more clothes, used mattresses or perishable items.” – Vic Currier

  • We have decided on a short but descriptive name for the group: Little Bear Recovery Team. The official address of the website is now LittleBearRecovery.org
  • We met as an admin team with Governor Martinez this afternoon (Sunday) at the new Recovery Center. She was very, very supportive of this team and has offered her support in many substantial ways. She also charged the whole team with making sure we keep good notes on the formation of this group so that she can use it elsewhere in the state during future incidents.

“Take good notes, we may need to duplicate this again soon in New Mexico…” – Governor Martinez

Meet the Admin Team Members

  • Ryan Arnold – Facilitator
  • Stephanie Harmon – Case Management
  • Dr. Jon Ogden – Case Management
  • Margo Mayo – Financial Manager
  • Michael and Vicki Buckley – Volunteer Coordinators
  • Minerva Davalos – Animal Coordinator / Sheriff’s Office Liaison
  • Phillip and Laurel Appel – Information Technology / Internal Communications

There are a ton of other developments that we will be announcing over the next few days as we get all the details. But suffice it to say, this area is full of quality, selfless people who are willing to work hard to make this recovery a real benefit to the survivors as soon as possible.

Stay tuned for more information soon!