Disaster Relief: Snow Emergency in West Virginia
Our country has been watching the clean up after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. Sandy’s wrath tore into the northeast with flooding, but her effect was different in the mountains of Appalachia. Areas of West Virginia have experienced as much as 6 feet of snow and the results have been deadly. Six people have been confirmed dead in West Virginia and Christian Appalachian Project’s team of Disaster Relief responders are going in to help.
Our operations are based at a church in the area. The pastor’s wife, Roxanne, and members of the congregation tell us this is the worst disaster that they remember since they have been there. Roxanne states, “We’ve got elderly people in our church who were trying to remember a natural disaster like this in the past.” One member stated he’s never, in 40 years, seen anything come this quick.
Roxanne says, “These people (CAP) are absolutely awesome to work with. It’s unreal. Operations are going smooth. We are finding more people every day that need help and assistance.”
In these remote areas of West Virginia, the level of poverty is more than we knew. Ninety percent of the town was still without power when we got here. Fifty-five percent of the county is elderly, and many are raising grandchildren. There is one section of the county that still does not have access to 911 calls for assistance.
We are plowing through the snow to open up access to homes so that people are able to escape. Some homes have collapsed under the weight of the snow. A lady called whose aunt is elderly and needed medicine so we plowed out her road to get to her
Another lady, who has no electricity, and has children in the house couldn’t get to her firewood. Her woodshed collapsed because of the weight of the snow covering its roof. Our Disaster Relief responders are digging her firewood out for her so she’ll have heat until her electricity is restored.
Many families living in these isolated parts were already facing devastating hardship, and their suffering has only increased under the burden Sandy has added. We mustn’t abandon them in this urgent time of need.
With your donation of any amount you can possibly afford, our rescue efforts will continue in full force, bringing lifesaving assistance. Please keep those affected by Hurricane Sandy in your prayers as well as CAP’s emergency team of volunteers, who continue to risk their own safety to help others in need.
