HUNDRED, W.Va. — As residents of the communities affected by the weekend’s flood work to rebuild their communities and their lives, the American Red Cross is doing what it can to help.
Sharon Kesselring, executive director of the American Red Cross of Northwest West Virginia, is working with the disaster recovery center at Hundred High School, helping Wetzel County residents get back on their feet.
“Our mission is to help alleviate that pain and suffering that they’re facing, so we’re here to complete that mission,” Kesselring said.
The Red Cross moved into the area nearly immediately after the floods hit, after having set up centers the weekend before in Ohio and northern Marshall counties.
“We were just starting to wrap that up when this occurred in even greater force and across a very large area,” Kesselring said. “We have an amazing group of Red Cross volunteers that are reacting to this, including folks that have come from Ohio and Kentucky.”
Covering a total of 17 counties throughout northwest West Virginia, Kesselring said she has seen similar flooding before, but that doesn’t make the damage any less astounding.
“Each community is very unique in what destruction occurred,” she said. “Where McMechen was really inundated with the mud, here in Hundred and Pine Grove was really inundated with the water in both. So there’s a little bit different of destruction in each, but still, what an ordeal for the residents to have to deal with.”
Perhaps more surprising than the damage itself, is the spirit of the towns after such tragedy strikes.
“You know, West Virginians are a proud group; they’re very resilient, and they’re very flexible,” Kesselring said. “When something like this happens, they grit their teeth a little but then they get to work, and work they have. Their recovery may take a while, but they will recover.”
Anyone interested in volunteering with the American Red Cross can visit www.redcrosswv.org