GREENBRIER COUNTY W.Va. (WVDN) – Over a week ago, a devastating category 4 hurricane stalled over the mountains of North Carolina, which in itself is an anomaly but feeling safe in the mountainous regions of America left many residents with no flood insurance in addition to having homes, businesses and lives swept away. The horrific aftermath and the flooding are something citizens in Greenbrier and surrounding counties know a little something about. In 2016 “The 1,000 year flood” left many reeling in grief trying to put pieces of what was left back together. Numerous organizations from around the country poured into Greenbrier, Clay, Fayette, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas and Roane Counties to give ground support to all those involved. The flood was caused by severe thunderstorms that brought torrential rain and high winds on June 23, 2016. The National Weather Service described the event as a 1,000-year flood. The flood caused widespread damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure, and left thousands of West Virginians homeless. The death toll was 23, the highest in the state since 1985.
The Mennonite Disaster Services, Samaritan’s Purse, The Red Cross and many others were here for West Virginia in a time of dire need. That storm claimed 28 lives, with 15 of those lost, belonging to Greenbrier County.
It’s Greenbrier County’s turn to give back in light of the tragic suffering of our neighbors. If anyone knows how they feel, understands their plight and joins in their suffering, it’s our people. And boy, did they show up! All across Greenbrier County, people have donated goods, supplies, medicines and more to aid in providing for the victims in Asheville, North Carolina and surrounding towns. Chimney Rock, Hendersonville, and most of the western part of the state are left without homes, their business, their farms, their animals, hospitals, schools and most of all, their loved ones. With the death toll at over 200 today, those numbers will unfortunately escalate in the coming days, as crews work to uncover what they can.
Thomas Hayes, Director of White Sulphur Springs EMS, and his wife Autumn, decided over dinner to come up with a way to help our neighbors. Little did they know that an army of West Virginia’s people would show up. All across the county, businesses, musicians, local residents and organizations have gathered literal truckloads of supplies to be delivered to the flood victims. At first, Hayes would have been happy with one truckload, but as they pulled out this past Friday morning, a convoy of 18-wheelers, a Uhaul van, personal trucks and more were on their way to provide support to western North Carolina. One 18-wheeler was donated by Tommy Garten Trucking and the other was a personal owner/operator as well as Hersmans’ donating the U Haul.
Smoot and Rainelle Fire Departments also raised funds and gathered supplies to deliver to Elk Mills, Tennessee. Neathawk Lumber, The General Lewis Inn, Barnwood Living, The Lunch Box, Max on Main, Spartan Lawn Care, The Country Roads Beer Co. and Smooth Ambler are just some of the businesses that stood up and showed up with donations, flood relief funds and supplies. Students and staff members from Eastern Greenbrier Middle School, East High School and Lewisburg Elementary also rallied together to gather donations.
We are sure many have not been mentioned but they too are applauded for their efforts. So many small businesses, churches, civic organizations, and local residents are thanked wholeheartedly for their time and donations and they are too many to mention but never overlooked.
Smooth Ambler folks had this to say on their Facebook page: “In 2019, we created the GIVE fund to make a difference in our community – both locally, and in the bourbon community, in general. We were seeking a way to make our giving more meaningful and to spread that support to a variety of causes. Flood relief has become a point of emphasis for us.
“Today, in addition to the donation of supplies to local emergency personnel headed to Western North Carolina, the GIVE fund has approved a check in the amount of $17,000, and our corporate partner, Pernod Ricard, has approved a check for $10,000 to the Appalachian Service Project (ASP). ASP came highly recommended from friends who saw the good they did in our own community during the flood in 2016, and in the recovery efforts that followed.”
Artist, Allan Dale Sizemore had a fundraiser at Country Roads Beer Co. this week, with all proceeds being donated to flood relief. They raised over $4,000 in addition to gathering supplies. Bones & Cones in Frankford also raised over $4,000 dollars to donate. Donation efforts from Virginia to Beckley, CAMC Raleigh General Hospital and CAMC Greenbrier Valley Medical Center also were part of the giving. The Salvation Army of Beckley also gave out over 1.600 meals for flood victims in McDowell and Mercer Counties, as many parts of WV also suffered wind and rain damages from the hurricane. Summers County Fire Dept also just donated a fire truck to Southside VFD, Erwin, TN as they watched their own truck float away.
The WV State Troopers are still raising funds to donate to the North Carolina State Troopers Association. Find them on Facebook or copy this link to donate: https://form.jotform.com/242773127444155?fbclid=IwY2xjawFtM6BleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHdeXQPE8_snfgbv-aloUAFhVP1vT_2m_5t9M2747EGjg5eJePpr_clpU_g_aem_Gy_IBXufhyV7ckyHofRTnQ.
The outpouring of love, time, energy and prayer is a true testimony to West Virginia’s people. It’s our ancestry. We know no other way than to help when help is needed. To gather in times of darkness and to rally together to get something done. You can always count on a West Virginian to pull you out of a sticky place and invite you to supper when it’s all said and done. We will continue to follow the efforts of this cause and will be in contact with the drivers/team for up to date info on their relief efforts. We will also keep up with where and how to donate. Follow us on Facebook. Email us at News@wvdn.com, (attention Annie) with any fundraising or donation events you may have in the future.
