July 22, 2009 - Milwauke news stations TMJ4 and Fox 6 cover the Patrick Cudahy Community Fundraiser used to raise support for families still out of work.







July 21, 2009 - Radio station KLOVE news article "Church Helps Fire Victims and Honors Fire Fighters"  News story found under "Your Faith" here.

July 17, 2009 - Updated JSOnline article.  Read the story here.

July 16, 2009 - OakCreekNow.com promotes fundraiser.  Read the story here.

July 15, 2009 - Cudahy Mayor holds town hall meeting to provide updates:

• The fire at Patrick Cudahy meet packing plant started shortly before 10 pm on Sunday, July 5. The fire was not extinguished until after 1:30 pm on Wednesday, July 8.
• 300 firefighters from 60 fire departments were called to assist from as far south as the Illinois boarder and as far west as Lake Mills.
• Firefighters used 33 million gallons of water to fight the fire, equivalent to 66 water towers!
• This was the largest structure fire in the history of Wisconsin with $50 million in estimated damages. Patrick Cudahy plans to rebuild the plant.
• 1,200 of the 1,800 employees have returned to work. 600 employees are still unable to return to work because of the damaged sections of the plant.
• First-responder firefighters on the scene were pulled off the roof minutes before it collapsed. (Including Aaron Bixby, a member of Harvest Bible Chapel.)
• Police officers and city workers went door-to-door evacuating residents from a 1-mile radius around the plant. City officials feared the fire would reach the plant's ammonia tanks and cause a toxic explosion. Residents were allowed to return after the threat to the ammonia tanks was diminished.
• Officials believe the fire was caused by a military flare from Independence Day celebrations landing on the roof.

July 15th, 2009 - WTMJ4 features fundraiser story.  Read it here.

July 14th, 2009 - JSOnline picks up fundraiser story!  Find it here.

July 14th, 2009 - Check out the news story from Milwaukee Metro Today here.

July 13th, 2009 - UFCW Local 1473 announces fundraiser.  Click here.

July 13th, 2009 - Check out The Center's 2009 Summer Concert Series.  Click here.

July 10th, 2009 - Press Release:

OAK CREEK – Harvest Bible Chapel, in partnership with the Oak Creek Community Center, announces a community fundraiser to support the families affected by the Patrick Cudahy fire and to honor the brave firefighters who put out the flames.

 

This free event will be held at The Center’s outdoor Summer Concert series on Wednesday, July 22. Residents can enjoy an evening of live music by the band Speakeasy from 7-9 pm. Bring lawn chairs and pack a picnic basket. Inflatable attractions and relay races will be available for kids on The Center’s grounds located at 8580 S. Howell Ave. in Oak Creek.

 

Donations received during the event will go to the Patrick Cudahy Workers Relief Fund operated by UFCW Local 1473. Local fire fighters will also be honored during intermission.

 

“We wanted to do something to help hurting families,” says Joe Martinez, Senior Pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in the Franklin-Oak Creek area. “But we also wanted to honor the fire fighters who risked their lives to serve our community.”

 

Aaron Bixby is one such Cudahy fire fighter and a member of Harvest Bible Chapel. He was one of the first responders to the Patrick Cudahy fire on July 5, and was called off the roof minutes before it collapsed. “It was a close call . . . I think God was watching out for us,” says Bixby.  

 

“Aaron and I have prayed together for his safety many times,” says Pastor Martinez. “And this week, we saw God’s response in a pretty clear way. It’s a miracle that no one got hurt.”

 

Harvest Bible Chapel holds worship services at the Oak Creek Community Center every Sunday at 10 am. For more information about the fundraising event, visit www.HarvestMilwaukee.org.

 

Please contact:

 

Amanda Duda

Harvest Bible Chapel

414-761-1165

amanda@harvestfranklin.org