By Betsy Finklea
When Hurricane Irma reared her ugly head and the Florida evacuees were fleeing, Nolan Eggert of Camp Grace in Fairmont, N.C., learned that there was a possibility that there were about 100 families at the Welcome Center with no place to go.
Eggert went into action. He got permission to open Camp Grace to take in some of the evacuees placing one family per housing unit at the camp.
Eggert went to the Welcome Center going from vehicle to vehicle inviting families to come to the camp if they needed a place to stay.
A few people took him up on the offer, and eventually six families came to stay at the camp.
The local community stepped up and rallied around the evacuees. He got calls from local churches that raised funds to provide gas cards to help the evacuees get home. Food and other items were donated.
All of the leftovers were shipped to Polk County, Florida, where they could be put to good use.
Camp Grace is a year-round ministry. According to their website, “Camp Grace exists to serve children and their families, teaching them to love God, His Word, and His Created World.” They have a number of ministries including a summer camp in the summer. To learn more about Camp Grace, visit cbmcampgrace.com