West Virginia needs help

[VAspeedgoat]

For those of you who are not aware West Virginia suffered a major flood event in the Greenbriar Valley.
Ten to twelve inched of rain fell in a short period of time turning every "holler" into a river. Houses that weren't near a creek or river washed away in minutes. There are currently 25 dead but others are missing. People who literally didn't have a pot to piss in lost what little they had.

I don't think its getting the attention nationally that it deserves. Partly because these are hard working people who got up the next day after losing their house, to go help their neighbor that lost a loved one. Cleaning up and moving on is not as news worthy as complaining and waiting for uncle sugar to bail you out. It is estimated that few homes were insured for flooding because you don't expect it to be a problem on the side of a mountain.

Prayers are definitely needed and if your local fire departments or red cross are taking donations I have heard that at this time shovels, rakes, brooms, saws, and various hand tools are needed worse than food or clothing. Monetary donations can be made to RedCrossWV.org.

Thanks on their behalf.

 

[jvanhoy]

Prayers for all. The pictures are just crazy. Hard to imagine.

 

[JohnCushman]

A long time hunttalker and friend/hunting buddy to many of us..David Keenan...was one effected by the flooding and many of his friends were as well

 

[brownbear932008]

I was up through some of the counties affected the morning after the flooding and it is the worst I've ever seen and I have seen many over my career. I would really suggest any help that can be given to those hard working folks to be given. Many have lost everything.

 

[dcopas78]

My parents house was hit by the '97 flood here in Ohio. I was still living at home at the time. It hit after mom left for work and before dad and I woke up and started our day. We were nearly trapped in the house as water filled it. Luckily, the roar of the water coming down the creek woke me up in time to see what was happening, throw on some pants, get dad up and moving and race to the hillside across from the house. It was a 500-year flood event. The creek barely ever had any running water in it, even after the hardest rains prior to this event. We got a little over 12 inches overnight and the flood hit at 6:00 AM . It is hard to imagine the devastation that water moving that fast can cause in just a few seconds. Having experienced it firsthand, I feel for them and they are in my prayers that they can resume their normal lives as quickly as possible. God Bless West Virginia.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

My friend's uncle said it came so fast that he couldn't leave. So he went to the attic when it started into the second floor of the house. Luckily the house didn't collapse or wash away.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Well, due to a breakdown on the combine I was able to get back and help in the clean up. I was able to find a church to help and was able to bypass FEMA. Apparently with a skidloader I would need to be approved. The town I'm in, Rainelle, is a small town likely less than 3000 people, but nearly the whole town had water in the homes and businesses. Was just watching a guy high pressure spray the inside of his car. So much to do for so many people who don't have much since the coal mines shut down. Prayers are needed as well as supplies for cleaning and demolishing.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Just got back from another trip to Rainelle. We were helping an elderly lady to take out the drywall and flooring in her house. The drywall turned out to be old plaster over lathes with wood panelling over top. The flooring turned out to be thin strips of tongue and groove over top of one to two layers of sub floor. It was just my wife and I and the three kids! We did what we could do but fell far short of what was needed.

But this post is not about me. Ms. Hilda never married because she spent the majority of her adult life taking care of her blind mother. She was an only child so the closest thing to family is her church family and good friends. Most of the adults I talked to said she was an old woman when they were kids. The only thing left of all her possessions is an old chair, a scrap book which she is hoping doesn't mold, and here family bible which she is carefuly trying to dry and salvage. I don't think I will ever get the image of her sitting teary eyed in that wooden chair while I took a sledge hammer to the walls of her home. She had no flood insurance, of course, and the check that FEMA will eventually send will hopefully cover her appliances. She is scared to live there now and would like to move. She has no money to rebuild and can't sell a flooded out house. So it is only through charitable groups and God's grace that she will have anything once this is all done. God bless her and all the people that have been hit so hard.

Thanks for reading these posts, I fear that as with the news media, the plight of these people is not a big enough story.

 

[bobbydean]

I wanted to reply, Cannot articulate a proper response. Thank you for what you do!

 

[Grayfox]

The attention-span of the news media, particularly when it pertains to anything associated with Appalachia, is microscopic. I, too, live in Virginia, downstream from the impacted area, and watched the James River come up 12 feet in a matter of an hour (Scottsville, Va)!!! I suppose it's old news if it's "trumped"(pun-intended) by something more interesting to those more likely to buy, or are continuing to buy, commercial advertising!

Anyway, THANKS, VASpeedgoat, for what you've done, and for spreading the word! The RED CROSS will receive my appreciation, too.
Hope you got your combine repaired! How do I join the I.S.V.F.?

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Thanks guys for your words of encouragement. I have never volunteered like this before but felt called to do it. It was by fate that some friends helped us make contact with a church in Rainelle. The church is the First Baptist Church of Rainelle. They are going way above the call of duty in helping out. All while cleaning up their own homes and church. Every couple, family or group is given a map and supplies to work on homes of the elderly, disabled, or poor. If anyone is looking for a place to donate or to volunteer, they have a website that will give contact information. I found out on this trip that their new pastor is straight out of seminary and on his first call. Talk about baptism by fire. I met him last trip but assumed he was just a youth pastor. Anyway, please keep these people in your prayers. I have been told that a large portion of the town are veterans of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. So by age you can guess that incomes and assetts are limited. I have never felt so appreciated in my life. It is a gratifying but humbling experience.

Grayfox, combine fixed and finished up wheat last week, thanks for asking. I grew up hunting the James River Wma after season ended over here in the valley. Nothing like hearing the dogs on a hot trail!

 

[JohnCushman]

Did they activate the National Guard for this? If so, are they still in the area?

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Yep, sure did. I think they left at the end of last week as far as a wide spread response. When we were there 10 days ago they were helping to maintain dump sights and control traffic. Out of town I think they were much more involved with removing debris from bridges and getting water to flow correctly. I was initially mad at them because they turned me away from a dump sight but later met the engineer who was trying to organize the chaos and was very impressed. There was so much to coordinate.

This last trip we saw a few hummers drive by. Based on where they went I think they were delivering supplies.

You know it was easy when I was there and sweaty and dirty to look at FEMA and be mad that they weren't doing anything but surveying the damage. I quickly got mad at the guard when they sent me to a different town to dump the trailer. Several church groups looked like they were out for a stroll. But I will say this, they were there and everybody was playing a part. Due to the number of vets, the VA set up an outreach center. The one thing I definitely learned is that every dollar or hour helps somebody no matter how small. When people come out of there house to offer you a drink because they saw you working down the street, it says a lot about the situation and the type of people being affected by it.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Jennifer Garner made a surprise visit to the little.church in Rainelle. She came in un announced in very plain clothes with no escorts or fan fair. Many in the church didn't even recognize her. My friend did instantly and gave her a hug and yelled to his wife to come meet his new girlfriend. Ms. Garner was quite humble and thanked everyone for all they were doing. She made a donation there and again later at her old high school about an hour away. This was a more formal ceremony. There she donated 500,000 to repair the school. Based on others, she made several other surprise visits to other communities around the area.

Way to go Ms. Garner for being a class act.

 

[jvanhoy]

That's great.

 

[noharleyyet]

Admiring your compassionate updates speedgoat.