Pennsylvania Presbyterian and Methodist Churches Unite to Support West Virginia Families

Williamson, WV, Monday July 6, 2015 – “That’s the reason we’re here, to give back and serve”, explains Don Dolhi, a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Irwin in Pennsylvania.

 Congregation members from the First Presbyterian Church and Community United Methodist Church from Irwin, Pennsylvania joined together to volunteer with West Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (WV VOAD) and the Mingo County Long Term Recovery Group this past week to repair two homes damaged by March flooding in Wayne and Mingo County. The First Presbyterian and United Methodist group is one of many teams volunteering to help West Virginia recover from damages caused by March and April 2015 storms.

Two families in Wayne and Mingo County share the same heart wrenching story of being displaced after spring floods wreaked havoc on their homes. The families are currently staying in temporary housing until their homes are repaired to safe conditions. The First Presbyterian and United Methodist group dedicated a full week to installing plumbing and painting the interior of the Wayne County residence and securing insulation and setting flooring in the Mingo County home. Both of the displaced families will soon be able to move in and return to a sense of normalcy. WV VOAD and the Mingo County Long Term Recovery Group continue to coordinate volunteer groups to repair houses devastated across the state.

Lee Liermann, a member of the Community United Methodist Church, emphasized that “These people are in great need and there’s a lot more than just we can provide for and it would be a wonderful opportunity for people, churches, organizations to jump in, get their hands dirty and share all that they have.”  The First Presbyterian Church of Irwin and the Community United Methodist Church sit only five minutes away from each other in Irwin, Pennsylvania. Although the group volunteering in WV represents two separate congregations, they are united in their commitment to serving others and sharing the love of Jesus Christ. Presbytery West Virginia and United Methodist Committee on Relief are members of the WV VOAD.

The Mingo County Long Term Recovery Group formed for the recovery of Mingo County after flooding in August 2014. The group has remained active in collaborating with the Southern West Virginia Disaster Center, LEAD Community Organization and other WV VOAD member agencies on long term recovery for counties affected by the March and April 2015 storms.

WV VOAD VOAD is a humanitarian association of independent organizations that may be active in all phases of disaster. Its mission is to identify unmet needs and facilitate efficient streamlined service delivery to those imperiled or impacted by disaster while eliminating duplication of effort through cooperation, coordination, communication, collaboration in the four phases of disaster: preparation, response, recovery and mitigation. West Virginia is a member of the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.