Severe flooding in February in Wyoming County, West Virginia, caused significant damage to people’s property.

Wyoming County is the home county of freshman Matthew Hatfield ’28, who watched from his residence hall as his community dealt with flooding and wanted to help. Other West Virginia Wesleyan College students were also watching the devastation and brainstormed how they could help.

“WVWC Student Senate contacted me and asked what they could do to help,” Hatfield said. “When I was approached and asked how they could help, I was moved. Growing up in the small town of Oceana, West Virginia, I was taught that when your neighbor needs help, you help. That is exactly what happened on February 15th. To say I wasn’t worried about my community would be a lie. Getting on Facebook and seeing people begging for help and to be rescued made me feel helpless. Seeing the pictures as the water destroyed homes and businesses that I have walked in hundreds of times made me feel paralyzed. Going back and hearing the stories of people I hold dear tell me that they had to escape in knee-high water made me feel like I was there when it happened,” he said.

Hatfield stated, “Being at West Virginia Wesleyan College reminds me so much of being back home. Seeing this College come together for a community they have never been to shows the love this College has. I am the only student from Wyoming County here at WVWC and for them to go out of their way to do this for my community shows me again that I picked the right College.”

WVWC Student Senate President Bray Boggs ’27, of Scott Depot, West Virginia, said, “Our goal as a Student Senate is to be a supportive governing body for campus organizations as well as a source of support for the student body as a whole. However, WV Wesleyan College has a unique history of not being limited by the boundaries of the campus, and I truly believe that we have an important role to play in supporting our fellow citizens and West Virginians. Seeing the needs of those affected by the flooding, we felt duty-bound as a Senate to offer our support. After hearing from Matthew and communicating with community service organizations in the region, we felt that monetary aid would be the most appropriate option.”

“These individuals are constantly in our thoughts and prayers, and it is my hope that this gesture will reach many families and households in the tight-knit communities of Southern West Virginia. The Student Senate is proud to have contributed to these recovery efforts,” he added.

The WVWC Student Senate agreed to donate $1,000 to Mountain Heart Community Service in Metheny, West Virginia, who will oversee the distribution for needed supplies such as shovels, brooms and cleaning supplies.