Oklahoma volunteers are honored for hurricane relief work

Monday, members of the Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief team were honored for coming to the aid of Hurricane Sandy victims in Middletown, N.J.

Middletown Mayor Anthony P. Fiore and the Middletown Township Committee presented volunteers representing the disaster relief team and the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma a proclamation honoring the team's service to the area.

The presentation was held at the Middletown Town Hall and attended by several members of the New Monmouth Baptist Church, which hosted the Oklahoma Baptists.

“Thank you for bringing warm smiles, hot meals, and enduring friendships at a time when we needed it most,” the proclamation stated.

Sam Porter, director of Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief, said he was proud of every volunteer who served in Middletown and areas on the New Jersey coast. He said Middletown residents — including Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts — were very appreciative of the volunteers' efforts.

“I can tell you I've done between 90 and 100 disasters, literally all over the United States and the world, and we've really never been in a community that expressed appreciation like the city of Middletown,” Porter said Monday.

“They were the best at Southern hospitality. They just could not say ‘thank you' enough.”