The SC Fall Disaster Relief Conference at East Cooper Baptist in Mt. Pleasant October 15 – 16, 2004 hit a record number of participants, 588, with over 300 first time attendees. 

Cliff Satterwhite, Director of Disaster Relief efforts for South Carolina attributes the turn out to the large numbers of disasters this year. 

“In most cases Disaster units are formed as a reciprocal ministry.  Hurricane Hugo birthed the mobile feeding unit in Providence.  The Charleston feeding unit was formed when Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in 1992.  The Edgefield and Beaverdam units were formed after the areas were hit by tornados.  Many areas don’t see the need until they are hit.”

Participants attended mini conferences on specific disaster relief areas including, for the first time, an international disaster relief workshop.  The mobile feeding unit from Charleston prepared meals for participants.  Volunteers for Disaster Relief were given the opportunity join teams stationed in their area or church association. 

At the conference Dr. Bill Hightower, interim pastor at Lee Road Baptist in Greer, was presented with the Choice and Grace Watson Award for his long term Disaster Relief efforts in multiple areas including associations, state and national responses.

The Tommy Thompson Award was presented to Jimmy Painter of Edgefield Baptist Church for outstanding Disaster Relief work in rural areas of the state.  The award was named for Mr. Thompson from Hemingway, SC who started Disaster Relief teams in Williamsburg and the Southeast associations.

Satterwhite continued, “We are just really ecstatic about the turn out, the interest in Disaster Relief is high.  Over 600 volunteers have responded in Disaster Relief this year in ten different disasters.”