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Recovery Efforts Continue in Eastern Kentucky and Southern
West Virginia
Southern Baptists
are actively involved in the recovery efforts taking place
in Southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky following the
flash floods on May 9, 2009.
Thousands of homes were either
destroyed or heavily damaged as creeks and rivers over ran
their banks and torrents of water poured down the mountain
sides and swept through the area, flooding entire towns.
In Hazel Green, Kentucky, Lewis
Faulkenberry immediately responded by surveying the damage
and organizing local residents to assist in getting the
flood victims into a shelter and starting mobilizing a team
to prepare warm food for distribution.
In McDowell, Kentucky, God’s
Appalachian Partnership also surveyed the damage and started
providing immediate assistance to the local residents, most,
like those in the Hazel Green area, had lost everything.
In Garret, Kentucky, Melissa
Gibson at God’s Helping Hands was joined by Charles Wilson
from the Wheelwright Baptist Center and together they
started providing assistance to the flood victims in the
surrounding area.
 On
the West Virginia side of the mountain, the damage surpassed
anything many of the lifelong residents had ever witnessed
as Mingo, Wyoming, McDowell, and parts of surrounding
counties received 3.5 to 4 inches of rain within twenty-four
hours.
According to the West Virginia
Emergency Management, close to 4,000 homes were damaged or
destroyed as well as roads and bridges either heavily
damaged or destroyed.
Immediately
following the flooding, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief
responded by setting up five feeding sites and sending in
Mud-out teams.
As the flood waters recede,
there is a need for mud-out teams in both states.
For more
information on assisting with the mud-out efforts go to
www.namb.net/dr
or call the Disaster Relief team in your local Southern
Baptist State Convention office.
In order to be involved in
assisting with the mud-out efforts you must be certified by
Disaster Relief.
Long term
recovery projects and home repair projects will be posted on
the Appalachian Regional Ministry website (www.arministry.org).
Across Eastern
Kentucky and West Virginia pleas are being made for garbage
bags to be used in the cleanup efforts, plastic gloves, bath
soap, deodorant and other related hygiene items, baby
diapers, paper goods and food; preferably food that does not
require preparation or cold storage due to a lack of
electricity and or appliances.
As the displaced
families begin to find homes or places to stay there will
also be a need for food, bedding, furniture, appliances,
dishes, etc.
Please check with
ARM or the ministry center before bringing or sending any
clothing.
To view video footage of the flooding
go to
www.youtube.com
and search for Gilbert, WV.
If you would like
to give towards the cleanup efforts, the home repairs, or
with helping needy families affected by the flooding, you
can send your gift to the address below.
One hundred percent of all funds
received will be sent to ministry centers and churches in
the impacted areas to assist with the recovery efforts.
If your gift is for food, please
note that on your check or money order.
ARM also accepts Wal-Mart,
Dollar General, or Family Dollar Gift Cards.
Appalachian Regional Ministry
28 White Rock Road
Hurricane, WV 25526
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