Displaying items by tag: West Virginia flooding

Independence Day weekend may have been relaxing for you -- but for thousands in West Virginia, it was just another three days of cleaning up and trying to rebuild after the massive flooding two weeks ago.

The American Red Cross' communications director Mary Williams among the more than 600 volunteers who went to the Mountain State, including a contingent from here in Northeast Ohio. Along with Williams the regional CEO for the Red Cross, Mike Parks, also volunteered his holiday weekend.

Williams say there were many sights and stories that hit hard; in one case, a woman told her she and her children were stranded above the rising waters on the roof of their home. Her husband was able to get to her and rescue them; Williams say the woman told her she never loved her husband more than at that moment. In Richwood, the home of the annual Cherry River Festival and well-known for it's springtime Ramp Festival, the river literally ran through the middle of the quain town and left it looking "...like a movie western: empty storefronts with nothing but all of the dust from the dried mud left behind," Williams said.

The spirit not only of the West Virginians without homes or jobs is one of resilience and courage, Williams said, adding many of the volunteers this weekend came as far away as California.

The need now is for financial assistance -- you can give on-line to the Red Cross at RedCross.O-R-G, and choosing West Virginia flooding on the dropdown menu. You can also give by texting "WVfloods" to 9-0-999 or you can all 1-800-RED-CROSS to donate by phone.