FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Student athletes with the Marion County School System have taken the initiative to help with cleanup efforts from the flash floods that occurred on Father’s Day Sunday.
Less than a day after three inches of rain hit the county in the course of an hour, athletes from Fairmont Senior High School as well as students from East Fairmont High School each took time from their allocated FLEX days to help clean up parts of their community. Marion County School Superintendent Donna Heston reported that these students were among several groups that took time normally spent practicing or enjoying the summer to help Marion County residents.
“There were many teams and many individual groups that, instead of returning to their flex days, they dedicated their day and continue to do so,” said Heston. “Giving back to the community and helping residents and readying those playgrounds in response to this flood.”
According to Heston, the Fairmont Senior football team traveled around the area parks affected by the flooding, where they did preliminary cleanups of athletic fields and anywhere that had large levels of debris. This was coordinated by their coaching staff, who organized the team to start traveling to areas of need within hours after the initial onslaught of rain that caused damage to at least 60 properties within the Fairmont area. This eventually proceeded to helping community members affected by the flooding.
“Our Fairmont Senior High School football team, that coaching staff, and those students were in these communities,” said Heston. “They were cleaning off playground areas, and they were helping residents remove furniture and debris from their areas.”
The efforts taken by the student athletes were not only seen around area parks but also around residences affected by the flooding. According to Heston, both the East Fairmont football and the girls’ basketball teams traveled to homes where they solicited free services for residents that suffered from damages varying from flooded homes to fallen trees. This took place throughout Sunday and Monday alongside the other community efforts taken by Marion County students.
“They were out and just really soliciting ways that they could assist our residents,” said Heston. “And that’s their way of giving back to those that support them during their seasons.”
The service undertaken by the Marion County student athletes at their choosing is considered a positive reflection of the Marion County community at large. Over the course of two days, cash and non-perishable donations for those who suffered extensive damage from the floods reached the point where first responders openly said no more were necessary, with conversations taking place with Governor Morrisey’s administration and FEMA within hours of the flooding taking place. With the amount of support being given to the Marion County community, Heston is happy that her students are being a part of that.
“You know that’s the true testament to the quality of our coaches and our students in giving back to the service of their community,” said Heston.