New Vision Depot - WV United Methodist Conference Disaster Response

05/28/2026

A busy Depot Day:
~ delivered 4 boxes of baby crib sheets to Helpful Harvest Food Bank
~ dropped the dump trailer off at Tri-County Trailers for repair and some tlc.
~ Celebration!! Almost all products are boxed ready to load for transport to Annual Conference — Lynn saw to this chore…
~ packed and palletized cots and added them to long-term storage.
~ palletized the remainder of shower bases in the warehouse for storage elsewhere (anyplace but the warehouse!! 🙄)

All in all a productive Depot day…

05/15/2026

15 May, Friday — Safety is primary for WVUMC Disaster Response Ministries. In disaster response, we often are called upon to move heavy relief materials quickly. Palletized disaster relief resources can be heavy and bulky. So, today, Beckley-Raleigh County Emergency Services personnel and Depot folk received their Forklift Safety Authorization Training. The training included "hands on" with a forklift including pre-operation equipment check, forklift familiarization, and moving a 1,500 lb. bale of shredded paper.

The Depot extends great appreciation to Mr. Gary Hartsog and Alpha Business Center, Beckley, for providing the classroom and warehouse equipment. Mr. Mike Bailey, a long-time industrial safety officer (middle), offered excellent instruction. Pictured in the group from left to right are, Raleigh Co. 911 Director, John Zilinski, and technician David Hicks. Bernard "BB" Bailey, Scott Mayberry, Rev Don Stilgenbauer, and Randy Curtis complete the group as "regular" Depot workers and are all UMCOR - United Methodist Committee On Relief trained ERTs.

05/14/2026

Wednesday — before going to the field, cots are thoroughly washed and dried. Hard-working folks from Beckley Community UMC came to the Depot for the washing as well as packing up items that will soon be used for the "Learning and Service" opportunities on the first day of Annual Conference in Buckhannon, WV. Thank you Beckley Community and Rev. Don Stilgenbauer!!

05/11/2026

Earlier, the Depot offered white 60” shower bases to the ministries and churches of the WVUMC. These shower bases remain available. If your church, ministry, parsonage, or other facility plan to upgrade, you might want to include one or more of these units. For example, if your church is considering designation as a community shelter during a disaster (we believe all churches should consider this designation) you are welcome to one or more of these new-in-the-box units at no charge.

05/09/2026

Friday, May 08 — the Depot participated in a new idea — collaborating with the Lay Servant Academy of the Southern District WVUMC, eight folks cross-registered for a 10-hour Advanced Lay Academy Class (Compassionate Disaster Response). With a 2-hour class at the Depot on how to properly audit an UMCOR Cleaning Kit and how to be a “caring Christian presence” with victims of natural disasters along with 8-hour of instruction to become a certified UMCOR, United Methodist Committee on Relief, ERT (Early Response Team) member, registrants also received credit for a 10-hour Advanced Lay Academy Course. (Apologies for not showing more photos, but we were plenty busy for two hours 😊)

05/09/2026

Rev. Dan Lowther (left) and John recently stopped by the Depot to pick up a few items to assist their ministry in Summersville, WV. The Depot is happy to provide 80 complete UMCOR Personal Hygiene kits and a number of blankets. How can the Depot help support your local ministries?

04/29/2026

Saturday, the 2026 WVUMC Pastoral Ministry Licensing School met at the Depot for the “mission” module… Bonus!! One of the class was certified as a forklift operator and she did a great job moving palletized and stretch-wrapped buckets to the warehouse!

04/29/2026

Congratulations to the 2026 Pastoral Ministry Licensing School. Part of the curriculum involved a field trip to the Depot.

Congratulations to those who are wrapping up Pastoral Ministry Licensing School.

These folks recently spent the weekend in retreat hearing about Conference programs and support services, disaster response efforts, and new ways of faith formation.

We are excited for what the future holds for these disciples who are pursing God’s call to ministry.

04/29/2026

Blessings on your work, DRAW… 5,400 buckets — that is a huge amount of work! Many hands worked many hours… we know about such work in the WVUMC as well ❤️🙏🏼❤️🙏🏼

03/16/2026

Thanks for giving on UMCOR Sunday…