MADISON, W.Va. — As Boone County communities continue their recovery following a summer of flooding, the United Way of Central West Virginia is helping distribute relief money.
The Market on Main in Madison joined other community members and groups to raise funds to support those affected by the June 22-23 flooding. Boone Memorial Hospital also contributed funds toward the relief efforts. United Way of Central West Virginia President Margaret O’Neal said on MetroNews “Midday” Tuesday that the fundraiser was successful.
“They raised about $13,000 and some change, and our good friends at the hospital matched that,” O’Neal said. “We’re picking up a donation this (Tuesday) afternoon of about $27,000 that will be used for long-term flood recovery, specifically in Boone County.”
The flood-relief funds were presented to the United Way Tuesday afternoon.
O’Neal said the United Way is no stranger to helping in flood relief.
“We’re well-versed in that, unfortunately,” O’Neal said. “United Way is present in disaster and has been for many, many years, so we were happy to help support the work.”
O’Neal encouraged anyone who wants to help to donate; all the money will go directly to those affected. She said the distribution of funds is not all that’s planned. She noted that the United Way is hosting a get-together to educate residents and learn about the next steps.
“We’re going to be having a long-term recovery meeting next week in Boone County,” O’Neal said. “I’ve already talked to the emergency manager there to try to make sure we have all the cases that are still open.”
While the floodwaters didn’t impact every single member of the Boone County community, O’Neal said, its impacts were drastic on the affected homes and families. Pond Fork Creek overflowed during the storms in Van, Bob White and Wharton. Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s disaster declaration request on Boone and Logan counties was denied by FEMA. The governor appealed the denial decision.
Some areas in West Virginia are particularly susceptible to flooding, O’Neal said, but it’s difficult for people to leave their homes.
“The struggle for so many people, and I totally get that, is if it’s been your longtime home, and that’s where you’ve lived, generation after generation, and we’re seeing that in Charleston now from some of the flooding that happened in August, is people just really don’t want to move and they just don’t want to leave their home,” O’Neal said.
As always, O’Neal said damage surveys are extremely important. She said the state learns the needs of the communities through that survey, otherwise a full picture can’t be painted about the impacts.
“So, wherever you are in West Virginia, if you have had flood damage this summer, it’s really important that you fill out that Survey123,” O’Neal said. “If you can’t do it alone, if you’ll call 211 from wherever you are in West Virginia, one of our call specialists can help you complete that survey. It’s really important to let the state know how much damage (there has been).”
Fill out the survey here.