photo by: Emma Delk

Triadelphia United Methodist Church flood relief volunteers, from left, Addie Cruz, Mona Knollinger and Dottie Folmar pack lunches outside the church to send to flood victims.

TRIADELPHIA – Acts of kindness witnessed following the flooding in Ohio County on June 14, 2025, all began with hot dogs and popcorn being served to flood survivors in a parking lot.

Triadelphia United Methodist Church became the center for spiritual, physical, nutritional and other needs shortly after flood waters receded.

“It started out in the parking lot of my church,” said the church’s Pastor Mike Palmer. “It became a care center – for lack of better words. First it was in Riesbecks parking lot, but a lot of people couldn’t get there, so we set up here.

“It all started out with us serving hot dogs.”

Then hundreds of people began to turn out there in the days following the flood, as did donations of food and supplies for flood survivors.

“There were total strangers helping strangers,” Palmer said. “As donations came in, the church formed a group of about nine people, designating people to go deliver to and pass out supplies. It all happened so fast.

“It was all about the community coming together – regardless of race, creed or color. They all pitched in.”

Volunteers began to help get people cleaned out from flood and debris. As that was going on, there came a need to feed those who couldn’t get out from their homes, as well as the workers and volunteers putting in long hours.

“We started delivering food to people who couldn’t get out, and those who were staying in hotels,” Palmer said. “At one point, we were feeding 1,125 people a day … anybody who needed food. Food was donated by many organizations.”

The need didn’t stop immediately and went on for about three or four months before dwindling down, according to Palmer.

“We opened up a food pantry,” he said. “At first, it was open three days a week, now it is down to one. It is still open and helping people today. The need has not ended.”

Palmer acknowledged he was inspired by the actions of the community in the aftermath of the flooding.

“It gave me hope, and peace from God,” he said. “I have to give God the glory. Without him bringing entities together, that wouldn’t have happened.”

Early Calls Indicated Immediate Need

Elm Grove Elementary Principal Richard Dunlevy said he was listening to the radio traffic on the scanner that evening when calls regarding the flooding began to come in.

He recognized there was a need for an emergency shelter, and texted both Wheeling Fire Chief Jim Blazier and Ohio County Sheriff Nelson Croft asking if he should open up the school to flood victims.

Croft texted back “yes.”

“Then there was a need for school buses to transport people,” Dunlevy continued. “I got a hold of (Ohio County Schools Director of Operations) Dave Crumm and he sent a bus out. It made trips back and forth from the flood zone.”

As the water began to recede, acts of kindness next began to flood, he noted. The school’s PTO President Chris Horn began to organize an effort.

“It was truly amazing the amount of people who showed up to help,” Dunlevy said. “The next thing, hot dogs and popcorn arrived, and we were getting prepared for however many people were going to need shelter.”

The PTO members even began building make-shift dog kennels using materials available at the school to house animals displaced by the flooding. Dunlevy said about five dogs were kenneled there for a while. There were also people coming to the school seeking lost relatives, some of whom were among the dead, according to Dunlevy.

The temporary shelter at Elm Grove Elementary was open until mid-afternoon the next day, but donations continued to arrive at the school. It continued as a donations center over the next week until main hubs for help were set up at Wheeling University and The Highlands.

Meanwhile, cases of water and Gatorade “kept coming” to the school, Dunlevy continued.

“We had people who took stuff directly to those who needed it in Triadelphia,” he said. “This is typical of the Ohio Valley. When people need help, people show up.

“There were donations of food, clothing and even pet food. People just kept dropping stuff off. The biggest hurdle was getting stuff to people who needed it.”

Community Comes To Know Each Other Because Of Tragedy

During the flood, Amy Jo Hutchison – a community organizer by trade – largely became the face of flood relief aid following the floods in Triadelphia and Valley Grove. She noted what was significant to her about the aftermath of the tragedy was how neighbors who never knew each other before came together to form lasting relationships.

“We had just celebrated our fifth-year anniversary living here,” she said. “But I didn’t know anybody who lived here except those who lived on the sides of me.

“Now I have like hundreds of friends. They drive down the road and we wave at each other.”

Hutchison reported she and her daughters have been designated honorary members of the Triadelphia Fire Department.

“We were in a situation where we only had each other,” she said of the community. “We knew we could not wait for the government to come help us, and that FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) would take too long.

“This has been interesting to me. As an advocate, I know it is hard to get relationships in rural communities. Triadelphia is now being seen because of relationships that have been formed. Before the flood, this wouldn’t have happened. There were no reasons for anyone to (get together). This opened doors we didn’t have before.”

Hutchison volunteered at the flood relief center set up outside Triadelphia United Methodist Church. It’s where many in the community came when they needed food or other necessities.

She remembers one national guardsman stopped by the relief tent to give food to volunteers working there.

“He wanted to give food to us,” Hutchison said. “We told him we don’t take food from you, we give food to you.”

But then the guardsman talked about the hospitality he had experienced since coming to the area. He told them he had gone to a property where the house was missing, and all that remained was a tree stump in the yard.

“The people who lived there offered to let him sit there, and brought him a cold drink,” Hutchison said. “He was able to see us as a culture and what we were all about.”

She also noticed in the aftermath of the flood that every political sign was washed away and they never returned.

“It was symbolic. Politics was such a low priority when people were trying to replace what was lost,” she said. “There was no political talk because it didn’t matter. We were just trying to survive as a community and individuals.

“People are starting to struggle with the toll the stress has taken on them. There are a lot of older people here and they are facing health challenges. That’s why building the community is so important.”

Care, Concern Can Build A Bridge

Eli White, a member of Iron Workers Local 549 in Wheeling, literally was involved in building a bridge that connected a community that was shut off.

The original bridge was one providing six families living in the Springer Addition with access to U.S. 40, and it was washed out during the flood. White explained he is not a Triadelphia resident, but he is a friend of Triadelphia Fire Chief Dave Patterson who lives in Springer Addition.

When it became obvious government was not going to act fast to rebuild the bridge, White used his own experience building bridges to tell Patterson what needed to be done so the community could take on the job themselves.

After the Long-Term Disaster Recovery Group in Ohio County directed $50,000 toward purchase of materials for the project, there was a plan to rebuild the bridge.

“It was not a particularly difficult project, but it was a lot of work and I had help,” White said. “My friend who owns an iron working company brought guys out to do the work.

“The prep work took a while, tearing out the stuff that remained and getting ready to set new steel. My wife and I did that.”

In the end, the building of the bridge took only about two days. It was opened in early May, about 10 months after the flood. White credited Todd Hebb and Quality Steel Erectors for their assistance, as well as Dave Paul and members of Iron Workers 549 who helped and used their equipment.

“I’m just glad to have a bridge there now,” White said. “It was awful what they were going through. I’m just happy they don’t have to walk across the creek anymore.

“I just wish we could have got done sooner, but it worked out how it worked out”

Outside Areas Notice Needs In Ohio Valley After Flood

Ohio County Emergency Management Agency Director Lou Vargo said the biggest acts of kindness during flood relief came were spontaneous and came from volunteers.

“They came not just from Ohio County, but from all counties in the valley,” he said. “Then came support from across the eastern United States.

“People came and offered time. They went right into the community and assisted residents.”

Among those he saw helping out were students from Ohio County Schools.

“Their students and teams all came together to provide support,” Vargo said. “There were many young adults who volunteered their time during the middle of summer to help neighbors.”

Businesses and corporations also got into the act, he continued. One of them was Expand Energy, which sent members of its staff to command areas to provide any necessary assistance. Ohio Valley Mutual Aid also came together and fanned out into the various communities, helping with anything from moving debris to mucking out homes.

“They got into the mud to help people affected,” Vargo continued.

Other companies just showed up on the scene, some with wrecker and crane services, he said.

“They helped our swift water team and removed cars from creeks,” Vargo explained. “They would stop and say, ‘We’re here to help.'”

He was also complimentary to West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey for the attention he showed the area following the flood.

“The governor visited six times, and he even attended a funeral,” he added.

Vargo noted that he had hoped the phrase “Ohio County Strong” would never have to be used locally.

“But it became evident after the flood that we are strong, and we will come together,” he said. “We were all one united family coming together to help those devastated.”