WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin handed out approximately $192,000 to 23 small businesses in Greenbrier County Thursday as part of the RISE West Virginia program established in the weeks after the devastating June 23 flood.
The business owners successfully applied for grants of up to $10,000 to help them recover from the flood, Tomblin said.
“These are small grants. You just have to show what you’re going to use the money for,” Tomblin said Thursday on MetroNews “Talkline.” “Whether to buy that new merchandise to go back into (business) or whether it’s to help pay your first payroll when you get started back up.”
The checks Tomblin handed out Thursday during appearances at Cook’s Country Kitchen in White Sulphur Springs and D & D Hardware in Rainelle ranged from $2,000 to $10,000.
“This one little help from the state may make a difference in some of them going out of business or coming back and continuing to hire people,” Tomblin said.
House of Delegates Speaker Tim Armstead (R-Kanawha) began calling for help for small businesses soon after the flood. The governor and West Virginia Chamber of Commerce joined in and received key contributions including $500,000 from West Virginia native, Intuit president and CEO, Brad Smith.
“He and his wife wanted to do something to help. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) helps a lot with homeowners but to help the small business people around the state–we didn’t have a program,” Tomblin said.
The program is being overseen by state Commerce Secretary Keith Burdette.
The following small business grants were announced Thursday:
Carl’s Hair Shop
Alderson, WV
$5,000.00
Greenbrier Professional Surveying
Lewisburg, WV
$5,000.00
GreyCliffe Farms
White Sulphur Springs, WV
$10,000.00
R & D Towing
White Sulphur Springs, WV
$10,000.00
Cook’s Country Kitchen
White Sulphur Springs, WV
$10,000.00
Autumn Way Assisted Living
Rupert, WV
$10,000.00
B Sweet Confectionery
White Sulphur Springs, WV
$2,000.00
Caldwell’s Produce
Caldwell, WV
$10,000.00
Greenbrier Valley Brewing
Maxwelton, WV
$7,900.00
Ronceverte Arcade
Ronceverte, WV
$5,000.00
Streams of Qi. LLC
White Sulphur Springs, WV
$10,000.00
Greenbrier Custom Services
White Sulphur Springs, WV
$10,000.00
Wood Properties LLC
Charleston, WV (operates in White Sulphur Springs and Elkview)
$10,000.00
Studio 304
Rainelle, WV
$5,000.00
D & D Hardware
Rainelle, WV
$10,000.00
Alvis Floral
Rainelle, WV
$10,000.00
Shades of Beauty
Rainelle, WV
$8,000.00
Lewis Transport, Inc.
Charmco, WV
$10,000.00
Family Eye Care
Rainelle, WV
$10,000.00
Fruits of Labor
Rainelle, WV
$10,000.00
K & S Mini Mart
Rainelle, WV
$10,000.00
Ron Fleshman Insurance, Inc.
Rainelle, WV
$10,000.00
Your Visions of Beauty
Rainelle, WV
$5,000.00