E.W. (Eddie) Bearinger, an Elmira-area Mennonite who was
instrumental in forming the Mennonite Disaster Service and the Elmira Syrup
Festival, has died. He was 91.
He served as co-ordinator of Mennonite Disaster Service for
25 years.
It has helped victims of disasters in many provinces and
states, often arriving within hours of events such as tornadoes to help gather
trash and to get farmers and homeowners back on their feet.
It is a service that draws heavily on volunteers from Mennonite farming communities. They have served across North America, including some remote communities.
Richard Ross, one of the farmers they helped clean up after a tornado north of Fergus, said he responded by volunteering to fly some of them into some of those remote communities.
Bearinger is one of those people who made a huge positive difference.
