MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A year following the floods that devastated southern West Virginia, over a million dollars has been raised and countless volunteer hours have been spent to make the recovery process a little bit easier.
“It’s amazing how many West Virginians, whether they live in the state or around the country, in the days and weeks after the flood affected the 10 counties in southern West Virginia were contacting us,” said head of the WVU Foundation, Greg McCroken. “We we’re very thankful that many people stepped up and helped.”
Donations from more than 1,600 Mountaineers across the country, $500,000 from Princeton native and WVU alumnus Ken Kendrick brought in $1.049 million.
These donations assisted the flood victims with rebuilding homes, community centers, schools, and helped students to return to WVU for the fall of 2016.
The WVU Foundation was formed so students could return to finish their degrees. WVU emailed students telling anyone who was affected to reach out and they will receive some form of aid.
“Last academic year, we have 30 student say right away say that they did not think they could return to the University because of the devastation to their homes,” said McCroken. “Through this particular fund, the University has been able to help students get back to school and their tuition and other needs.”
To date, the WVU Foundation has been able to help students with $70,000.
“A woman in Nicholas County that called us and filled out paperwork, but her house was uninhabitable and she was living in a trailer in front of her home,” said McCroken. “No electricity, no nothing. She was just stunned that we were calling up and asking her if we could help her.”
With the help of the WVU Foundation, that woman left the trailer and now is back in her home.
The WVU Foundation donations have totaled to $812,000. From that, $450,000 have been made to help individuals and $230,000 to assist community building projects.
“Our staff was very humbled about the stories we’ve heard about the devastation,” said McCroken. “That was the real Mountaineer spirit, because these people who have been through a devastating situation and still want to rebuild their homes themselves.”
WVU Foundation is still accepting donations. They can be made online wvuf.org or by mail to: WVU Foundation, PO box 1650, Morgantown, WV, 26507-1650.