The Sibley United Methodist Church family wants to give a soldier and his family a helping hand.
E7 Sgt. 1st Class Eric Walker is currently serving a second tour of duty in Iraq. When he returns home on leave in January, the church hopes to have a dependable truck sitting in the soldier’s driveway.

In October of this year, Eric and his wife of 14 years, Mandy, and their 12-year-old daughter Amberleigh, were in Shreveport visiting a haunted house when they received a devastating phone call. The couple’s pickup truck, which was parked next to their 3rd Street home, was on fire.

Mandy Walker said the Sibley Fire Department pulled the truck away from the house, saving the family’s home. However, the truck was a total loss.

The state fire marshal was called to the scene and initially told the family that he believed the fire was a result of arson. The cause was later changed to “undetermined,” as the fire had burned so hot that any potential evidence was destroyed.

“The fire marshal said he thought the fire had started on the hood — that someone had poured something on the hood and set it on fire,” said Mandy.

Eric, Mandy and their daughter are members of Sibley United Methodist Church, where members hope to raise enough money to replace the burned truck before Eric returns home on leave at the first of the year.

“We can’t afford a new truck, but we are hoping to get together enough money for a good, dependable truck,” said Shirley Maxey, spokesperson for the church. “It’s not fair for something like this to happen to someone who is serving in Iraq for a second time – and they don’t make enough money to replace it.”

Sibley United Methodist Church Pastor Milton Geltz said he has known the Walker family for four years.

“This is Eric’s third tour of duty, said the pastor. “It’s extremely difficult for them to have their husband and father away from home and it’s also extremely difficult for him to be the husband and father he wants to be while he is away.”

When at home, Eric devotes much of his time to the church and its outreach ministries.

“Eric is the kind of guy – you don’t have to ask him to do anything, things just kind of happen,” said Geltz. “He has taken care of a lot of things around the church without being asked. He’s just that kind of guy. He has participated in the youth activities and participated in the outreach ministries – very quietly and very unassumingly. He’s just kind of a special guy.”

Geltz described the church as a very inclusive group that tries to take care of the needs of its people as well as the community. This is evident in the church’s ramp building program, in which volunteers construct easy access ramps at the homes of individuals in need.

“We try to position the church as the center of the community and try our best to meet the community’s needs,” said Geltz. “When this (truck fire) happened, it was very trying for him and his wife and family – we just want to do our best to get him back to, at least to where he was, before he left.

“We just want to make sure that he knows that we as a community – a community of faith – are thinking about him and don’t want him to have any burden beyond what he already has being away from his family,” the pastor continued.

The church initially began planning a fund-raiser, but with the holiday season in full swing, it had to be placed on a back burner. Instead, an account has been established for the family at Regions Bank, in hopes that the giving spirit of the Christmas season will provide the necessary funds.

Eric, originally from Dubberly, served three years in the U.S. Army and has been a member of the Army National Guard for 16 years. He was also called to serve during Desert Storm. When not on active duty, he is employed as an electrician at Fibrebond.

“When he comes back, he is supposed to go back to work at Fibrebond, but we don’t know if he still has a job,” said Mandy, referring to the company’s recent layoffs.

When her husband is called to duty, Mandy takes time off from her job as an LPN to stay home with the couple’s daughter.

“It’s just too hard to work and try to take care of her when he’s gone,” said Mandy, who also spends time volunteering with Hospice.

Anyone wishing to contribute to this fund-raising effort may do so by making a donation to the “Sibley United Methodist Church for the Benefit of the Eric Walker Family Account” at any Regions Bank location.

Mandy said although no official word has been handed down, Eric and his company’s tour is expected to end in June or July 2010.

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