Ohio Valley Volunteers Head to Richwood, W.Va., for Flood Cleanup
WHEELING — Volunteers with Wheeling’s House of the Carpenter will travel to flood-ravaged Richwood, W.Va. today to help residents salvage their homes.
The group of seven, including House of the Carpenter Executive Director Michael Linger, will remain in Richwood until Saturday, shoveling mud and helping clean up. Most of them have experience with disaster response as well as missionary work.
Richwood is a community of about 2,000 people in Nicholas County, one of the hardest-hit areas in last week’s flood, which resulted in 26 deaths statewide and led to a state of emergency declaration for 44 of the state’s 55 counties. Members of the group from House of the Carpenter said they have no hesitation committing their time and energy to travel and aid those who need it.
“Basically, you just want to go and do what you can do,” said Bill Wade, a volunteer who also responded to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. “That’s why I go.”
Another volunteer, Karen Joseph, said she gives what she can without the expectation of receiving anything in return.
Linger met with the group Wednesday to prepare them. He informed the volunteers of what they need to bring, transportation options, and handed out liability forms. He told the group to expect a community traumatized by the event.
Linger said rather than worrying about what could be said to these people, victims likely need someone to listen to them.
“They have to tell the story,” Linger said. “People will tell the story as many times as they need to, until they have a sense somebody has heard it. And it’s hard for the people who have the same story to really hear it. They need somebody who wasn’t there to recognize that it’s a painful journey for them.”
He said much of this pain comes from the experience of losing possessions which cannot be replaced — family photos, drawings children made for their parents or items passed down by tradition.
Patty Jewett, the only first-time flood responder in the group, was told to expect an environment where “everything’s gray, dusty and it smells.” She said it will be a new experience, but she’s ready for it.
The group, comprised of mostly older individuals, said age isn’t a deterrent for them to assist in clean up. They haven’t even considered it.
“We’ll take Advil,” Dave Glatz said, laughing. “Maybe we’ll have to take a few more rests.”
COMMENTS