Author: Bonnie DeHaven

The organization for flood relief is coming together in southern West Virginia. The process has been handicapped because of the large scale damage that has been done over a very wide area. The network for offering quick, efficient response is unfolding. Following are some guidelines that will insure that the people who are in desperate need receive the best care.

For Financial Contributions:  Please use The United Methodist Foundation, P.O. Box 3811, Charleston, WV 25338 (or 2207 Washington Street, East, Charleston, WV 25311–either address will work) and memo WV Flood-VOAD. This is the most expedient and safe fashion for transferring funds to needed areas. I encourage an offering from churches this Sunday.

For Supplies:  Basic supplies needed are bottled water, shovels, mops, brooms, baby diapers, baby formula, baby wipes. Church groups may want to consider the creation of health kits (separate for men, women, children) or also packets of coloring books, game books, crayons, small toys for children. Take items to The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department which is equipped with storage, separation/ categorizing and transportation facilities. West Virginia VOAD has created a ware house structure at Beaver, WV, for efficient distribution. The Sheriff’s Department will be using that facility. It is the most direct line of getting resources to a wide variety of areas. Simply drop off supplies and they will be delivered in an efficient fashion.

Donation Sites:  Churches from throughout the Baltimore-Washington Conference are invited and encouraged to bring the following items to the BWC Mission Center during business hours (Monday through Thursday; closed on Fridays during the summer months), 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Oakland United Methodist Church is collecting and transporting supplies specifically for Webster Springs and Bergoo, W.Va. Anyone wanting to help in this specific effort can contact the church at 70 Oakland Terrace, Charles Town, WV 25414, (304) 725-3737 or email OaklandChurchUMC@gmail.com.

For Work Teams:  Teams are need as soon as possible. Mucking out and removing debris is the largest task. Arden United Methodist Church is organizing a team for next week. If others would like to participate contact Brittany Young, Coordinator of Mission at Arden UMC at brittrae722@gmail.com.

Arrangements are being made at the Roman Catholic Church in White Sulfur Springs for housing and meals. If other teams would like to go contact contact Father Chafin at (304) 860-0007 to let him know how many are coming and when the expected arrival date might be. Be prepared to rough it. Please keep me informed as well so that we can be sure a site coordinator is in place to assign work areas. Pastor John Unger is providing leadership for work area assignments.

Wayne and Lynn Frum have made available their home in Buchannon, WV, for a staging area for work teams that may want to participate. Contact them at (301) 988-7654. However, coordinate with me before planning a trip.

It is important to realize that this is the first stage of the disaster response which will be on-going. Addition stages will unfold as time moves on. Work teams for rebuilding will be required for a long time to come.

Habitat for Humanity of the Eastern Panhandle will be coordinating work teams and resources for re-building and repair of homes. For more information, contact Ed Grove by email, phone or text. (edhfhep@gmail.com or 304-261-1513)