CHICAGO (ELCA) -- El Nino's strong winds and heavy rains caused a major mud slide at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, Calif. One of eight seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, PLTS will need to raise $250,000 to repair the damage sustained on campus.
The winter mud slide took out the east side of the hill along the roadway that travels through the seminary's campus. Students worked to sandbag and cover the hillside to save the entire roadway. "If the roadway deteriorates, then the buildings above it are in danger," said Liz Meyer, PLTS business manager.
Founder's Hall, which houses the office of PLTS President Timothy F. Lull, sustained significant damage when a three-foot diameter section of a Monterey Pine split off and crashed through the roof and walls. Repairs are being made to the roof, walls and floor, in addition to replacing the carpet and furnishings.
The seminary's off-campus apartments located in Berkeley Flats, an area at the bottom of the Berkeley hills, also required emergency action in order to prevent flooding in a number of apartments. Heavy rains have caused flooding in four apartments. An emergency drainage system and five large sump pumps were installed to prevent water from doing major damage to the ground floor apartments.
PLTS has established the El Nino Campus Repair Fund for donations to cover the cost of the damage. The damage to the president's office is covered by insurance.
"Throughout its almost fifty year history PLTS has had to depend on its friends, congregations and synods of the ELCA for annual support and help in times of opportunity or disaster," said Lull. "We have not been able to accumulate the resources that allow a school to make extensive repairs for something like the El Nino damage."
PLTS is also actively pursuing state and federal disaster funds for which it might be eligible.
For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
