WHEELING, W.Va. –Wheeling-Charleston Diocese Bishop Mark Brennan is asking all Catholic parishes and missions to conduct special collections for those who affected by the Father’s Day weekend flash flooding in Ohio and Marion counties.
They will hold four separate collection days: June 28, 29, July 5 and July 6. Parishes will be able to pick when they want to hold their special collections.
Brennan noted that efforts to raise money for those in need are underway. For example, the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams at Central Catholic High School in Wheeling held a scrimmage with other schools and raised nearly $10,000 dollars. WVU Hosptial has donated $75,000 dollars to Catholic charities for the relief effort.
Brennan says these special collections will just add onto everything else being collected.
“Our collections around the diocese will really be to augment the help that others are giving as well,” he said.
The collections will be handled by Catholic Charities West Virginia. The funds will go toward relief efforts, first responders, and victims of the flood.
The Wheeling and Fairmont areas received four inches of rain in less than 30 minutes, causing widespread damage.
Brennan explained that parishes in the area will use the collected funds to provide immediate relief, with some of the money designated for short-term recovery for families. Short-term relief includes clothing, cleaning supplies and food.
Additionally, part of the funds will be set aside for long-term efforts, such as rebuilding a house, because this is an area where Catholic churches are especially active in.
“Because it often does take many months for people to get back on their feet, to have a safe, sanitary space to live,” he said.
This collection is similar to the one held after the Southern Coalfields were hit by flash flooding in mid-February, that damaged homes and buildings. Brennan said they were able to collect $159,600 for those reliefs. He believes they will have another great turn out.
He said that this effort should see the same support.
“This kind of collection reveals to us hey we’re part of a much larger group of people around this state than just our own parish, it’s a good way to sense we belong that we belong to a local church called a diocese and we’re supporting one another in this common effort,” Brennan said.
Residents can also donate online at https://dwc.org/disaster-relief/