Community Bulletin
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BUCKHANNON — For some Upshur County residents, the floodwaters have receded, but mud, standing water and a recovery that feels overwhelming remain. Local service organizations have a message for them: Ask for help. No one should have to face recovery alone.
Isaac Casto, director of the Upshur Parish House, said during the Aug. 12 Buckhannon-Upshur Chamber of Commerce meeting that people are still coming through the organization’s doors with mud in their basements and standing water in their homes.
“While things are starting to return to normal, that’s not true for everyone,” Casto said. “If you are impacted, if you know of somebody that’s impacted, an employee, a regular customer, have them reach out. We are here to help in whatever way we can. We know that this is really overwhelming. It’s — it’s daunting. It’s emotional, and nobody should have to do that alone.”
Casto said recovery is becoming increasingly specific to each household. Even neighboring homes that took in the same amount of water may have entirely different needs.
“There are still people coming through our doors with mud in their basements, standing water in their homes. For some people, this is real, and the longer it drags on, the harder it gets for them to even conceive of a path out of it,” Casto said. “I think that we are entering a phase of this recovery where it’s going to get really specific to the household. Two houses side by side weren’t impacted the same way, even if they took in the same amount of water.”
Mountain CAP of West Virginia Executive Director Kathy McMurray said some people may not know where to begin, while others may be reluctant to admit they need assistance.
“We know some people haven’t come forward yet. It’s really devastating. We know people are unsure what to do or too proud to come forward,” McMurray said. “Urge your neighbors or people you might know, if they have a situation, to please come and talk to someone first.”
McMurray said even asking someone how they are doing can open an important first conversation. Mountain CAP is working to create a welcoming environment at its 30 East Main Street location, where case managers help families identify their needs and connect them with available services.
“We have case managers that are working with every family and really trying to discover their needs, trying to see how we can help, and we of course connect them back and forth depending on what their needs are,” McMurray said. “If we don’t provide it, we make sure we get them to the right resources. We’re keeping an ongoing list as anybody publishes anything, so that folks have the best opportunity to access other services that maybe we don’t provide.”
McMurray said the community is entering a long-term recovery period, particularly for residents with housing needs.
Casto and other local officials also urged residents to accept assistance from outside volunteer organizations while those groups remain in the area.
“We have a lot of volunteer groups in our area, and you need to really take advantage of those groups now,” Buckhannon City Recorder Randy Sanders said. “They’re willing to do the heavy lifting, and that means going in and getting the mud out, maybe doing some demo and so forth.”
Upshur County Commission President Kristie Tenney said organizations assisting locally have included Samaritan’s Purse, Christ in Action, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief and Hope Force International.
“These groups are here right now, and I really want our residents to take advantage of the help they are offering,” Tenney said. “Whether you need help cleaning out your home, treating mold, making repairs or simply figuring out what resources are available, please reach out to us. Our job is to connect you with the right group and make sure no one feels like they must navigate recovery alone.”
Tenney encouraged residents seeking help with flood cleanup, debris removal, work in their homes or connections to volunteer organizations to call the H.O.P.E. line at 304-454-5053.
“I cannot say enough about the volunteers who have given their time, traveled hundreds of miles and worked incredibly hard for people they may have never met before,” Tenney said. “It is truly Christ’s love in action and a beautiful reminder of what it means to serve your neighbor. Upshur County will never forget the kindness that has been shown to our community.”
Sanders said the City of Buckhannon has waived building and wiring permit fees for verified flood-related repairs and restoration, though permits and licensed contractors are still required.
“Doesn’t mean you don’t have to have a permit; you still have to have a building permit, that’s paramount, and you have to have a licensed electrician or licensed plumber to do the repair work,” Sanders said. “Again, we don’t want things put back together in a shoddy way, which will only mean in five years people are experiencing internal problems with their homes because they were rushed, they felt rushed, and they used inadequate services to rebuild their homes.”
