Task Force Upland
Task Force Upland (TFUpland) is an extraordinary avenue of ministry for which Lightrider is uniquely suited. It is a start up organization, an inspiration of Colonel (retired) Ken Strickland, member of Lightrider Ministries' board of directors.
TFUpland's Mission: To complement the crisis management and response capability of our community. We call it "Preparing to Weather the Storm." Organizing, educating and training volunteers before disaster strikes enables us to help schools, churches, businesses and initial responders to be best prepared should such need arise.
Hopefully disaster, natural or man made, never befalls our community. But in preparing we bring our community together in pursuit of a common goal. What better way for a ministry to meet and serve with our neighbors? What better fellowship is there than working shoulder to shoulder with neighbors from different churches, back grounds, jobs and faiths? The ministry takes place during the planning and preparing for disaster even though, God willing, disaster never strikes.
Already the community has rallied in service with LtR: The RedBarn in particular--the food, money and volunteers keep coming; the Karate for Christ going on in The Pete Carlson Room for years now; The Senior Men's Fellowship; and the Ron Rich Fund.
Community interest in TFUpland has been demonstrated at each of the several meetings we've held at the GrayBarn and by the enthusiasm of the school principals we've met with so far. People from different churches, schools and walks of life around Grant County are getting involved.
TFUpland enables Lightrider Ministries to give back to our community and county in a timely way. Disaster Relief Ministry is now a course at Wheaton College. Professors at Taylor are interested in it. Emergency preparedness is a cutting edge ministry, the need for which is being borne out each day in the news.