UM Men
INSIGHTS
42 years of care for an island community By Dennis Carroll
The National Seashore of Cape Hatteras, N.C. is a go-to vacation area. Its fishing, historic lighthouse, and sandy beaches, are attractions for tourists seeking sun and surf. The chain of barrier islands also are easy targets for hurricanes. Cape Hatteras UM Men is in its 42nd year of helping islanders. Eighty men, women and young people from several denominations all work together to help year-round residents cope with routine problems and recover from natural disasters.
After the single bridge to the island was damaged in a storm in 1992, the ministry established a food pantry to reduce future risk. Working with families screened and referred by the Dare County Department of Social Services, the pantry has provided thousands of meals to hungry people. In 2000, Ray and Claire Schaaf began their 20year stint as administrators of the pantry. Their compassion and generosity are heartwarming, and important to island residents.
The ministry began in 1978 when Walt Fulcher, a retired U.S. Army officer, invited several UM men to help islanders recover from damaging storms and to provide a safety net for widows of fishermen. They raised funds for their Emergency Assistance Program through fish fries and barbecue fund-raisers.
WALT FULCHER AND JACK GRAY PAUSE IN THEIR WORK AT THE FOOD PANTRY.
RAY AND CLAIRE SCHAAF SORT DONATED FOOD. THE COUPLE ALSO PROVIDE A SHOULDER TO CRY ON.
Under Walt’s leadership the ministry grew in its abilities and reputation and after 37 years of service, he retired in 2015. Dennis Carroll, a retired mechanical engineer, is director of Cape Hatteras UM Men. He has lived on Hatteras Island for 19 years and he has been affiliated with the UM Men ministry since 2005.
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I became the second director of Cape Hatteras UM Men.
