By Amy Moore

The News staff writer

The Southeast Texas Interfaith Organization received a healthy chunk of change Monday to help in the rebuilding process in Port Arthur.

The Rev. Bob Stumph and representatives from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Groves presented a $23,000 check to the thankful recovery group. The money was raised at the recent Risk Management Conference in Corpus Christi, an event for Adventist Risk Management, Inc., the company that insures the interests of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.

“We are so excited about this. It’s one of the biggest donations we’ve ever received,” Jonnye Williamson, SETIO director, said.

Stumph explained that each year the Risk Management Conference is held in a different state and the organization chooses a group within the state to financially assist. This year, the group choose Port Arthur’s SETIO.

“The heads of the group came to Port Arthur and spent four days looking at SETIO and the work they’ve done and are doing,” Stumph said. “They’ve been raising money since September.”

Stumph said the group usually brings in around $10,000 to $12,000 for the organization they choose. The $23,000 is twice what they traditionally offer.

But the money does not stop flowing there. The Adventist Community Services organization is matching the $23,000 plus some and will send SETIO a check for an additional $25,000.

“It’s a way to reach out and meet people’s needs,” Stumph said.

To Williamson and the rest of the SETIO staff, the checks are not the only benefits from the Seventh-day church.

“The partnerships we’ve formed throughout this ordeal have been so important and helpful. It’s not just the money, it’s the volunteers, too,” she said. “And it’s not just the Seventh-day church, it’s all churches from all over the nation with all ages of volunteers - and that’s what we desperately need, the volunteers.”

Louis May, volunteer coordinator for SETIO, said the most interesting part of Risk Management, Inc.’s news that they chose SETIO was that the information came on the same day Hurricane Humberto.

“It was so eerie,” he said. “It just goes to show you that when you think you’re moving ahead with one thing, something else happens.”