A resident of Greenbrier County Kayla M. McCoy has spent the last five years working diligently to serve her community. In the summer of 2016, on June 23 Southern West Virginia was hit with a severe flooding event that would become infamous. Homes and businesses were destroyed, lives were lost and entire towns were left to completely rebuild. McCoy is a survivor of that flooding event along with others in her community.
On the day it occurred, she had decided to call off work because her young child was sick. After heavy rain had been falling for numerous hours, McCoy stated that she looked out and saw water rushing down the mountainside toward her home. Knowing that she needed to evacuate as quickly as possible, she gathered what she needed and set out, having to carry her then two-year-old child, above the floodwaters rushing around her. Water had already gotten to her vehicle so she made it to the bridge where she waited for her brother who was coming all the way from Point Pleasant. As she waited, she saw the destruction surrounding her. She noted that she listened as people screamed for help and watched as a home, on fire, floated past. She could only look on as rescuers pulled both survivors and those lost to the storm from the water.
After the floodwaters receded and damage could be assessed, it quickly became clear that help was needed. Before working with the Greater Greenbrier Long-Term Recovery Committee, McCoy was a chef at The Greenbrier Sports Club. This was one of the places that sustained flood damage and as a result, was closed for three weeks. During those three weeks, McCoy said she threw herself into relief efforts.
While participating in relief efforts, McCoy met a community volunteer named Susan Adkins. Believing Adkins to be in charge, McCoy began asking what they were going to do for the families that had lost their entire homes. Adkins then told her about a non-governmental organization meeting that was taking place and suggested McCoy attend stating she may be able to find answers to some of her questions.
It was at this meeting suggested by Adkins that McCoy met Sen.John Unger, Dave Lumsden, Matt Ford and others who would be integral to forming the Greater Greenbrier Long-Term Recovery Committee. Many that she met that day, with the exception of Sen. Unger would go on to form the GGLTR Board. McCoy became the secretary of the newly established board. They began their efforts right away to help the community get back on its feet.
As time went on, it quickly became obvious that they would not be able to continue on a volunteer-only basis as the magnitude of the disaster was too great. They began hiring for a paid position for which McCoy applied and was hired. She has been continuing her efforts. Since that fateful summer, McCoy and the GGLTR have coordinated more than 5,000 volunteers from 46 states and multiple countries.
The world has been facing a pandemic for more than a year and everything that entails. There have been numerous negative impacts on communities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of their disaster relief efforts, McCoy and the GGLTR have been stepping up to help where they can.
Their first effort was to establish a feeding program for families who struggled after schools closed eliminating children’s ability to eat at school. In June of 2020, the GGLTR also provided aid when Alderson experienced a flooding event that affected quite a few homes. Later, when COVID-19 vaccines became available, McCoy helped to coordinate volunteers to help with vaccination clinics.
She stated, “the local health department only has 15 full-time staff members.” Although this is a small number to deal with extensive clinics, McCoy noted that each of the Health Department staff members held their own and “were killing it” before McCoy began supplying volunteers. McCoy said that now, there is always a minimum of 45 volunteers at every clinic.
It is obvious that McCoy truly loves her community and wants the best for its people. When asked what her favorite thing about the area is, she enthusiastically said, “oh my gosh, it’s the people!”
She went on to say, “I love the sense of community here…. I think we have the most incredible people in the world.”
She said the biggest problem she has faced in her efforts is that, in the beginning, she was a transplant to the area. There was a learning curve to understanding the local communities that took some time to navigate.
When asked what she wants to accomplish in the future, McCoy said, ” we have to build more resilient communities.” She noted that because so many local areas are surrounded by mountains and rivers, it creates problem areas for flooding. She wants to do everything possible to mitigate these issues.
She stated, “I want to help our communities, but I also want to help our people help themselves.”
In times of crisis, many people begin searching for solutions to the problem. While McCoy said that they do not always have the answers, “people just need to know that there is someone who cares and someone who is working on it.”
She went on to say, “sometimes there is no solution” however, there can be a shoulder to lean on and a listening ear.
The Greater Greenbrier Long-Term Recovery Committee, like so many organizations, struggled in 2020 unable to maintain fundraising efforts. Once they were able to get back to work in any capacity, they were not always certain there would be funding to come through. Regardless, they pushed forward trusting that funding would come through.
When asked what she wanted people to know, she said, “if you see value in the work that we are doing, please support us in any way you can.” Support can come in the form of volunteering, financial support anything the community can do to help this organization. She wants residents to know, “we covet the support of the community.”
For more information on Kayla M. McCoy or the Greater Greenbrier Long Term Recovery Committee, go to the organization’s website, www.ggltrc.org.
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