Flood Ravaged Communities Look to the Future with Long-Term Recovery Committees

About three weeks after June’s historic flooding, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin appointed Major General James Hoyer of the West Virginia National Guard as Chief Recovery Coordinator – tasked with building a team of volunteers to lead flood recovery efforts in southeastern West Virginia. Hoyer asked state Senator John Unger to be one of those team members.

Unger is a Democrat from Berkeley County  and is no stranger to flood relief – having worked in recovery efforts abroad in Kolkata, India with Mother Teresa, in both Gulf Wars, and in southern West Virginia.

Hoyer asked Unger to spearhead an initiative to help the twelve heaviest affected counties form “Long-term Recovery Committees.” West Virginia Public Broadcasting sat down with Unger and brings us this report.

What are these “Long-Term Recovery Committees?”

• A community committee put in place for the long-term to help the flood affected areas in West Virginia get back on their feet and rebuild.
• They’re made up of non-government organizations; faith groups, private sector businesses, volunteers, etc. to help provide labor, materials, or money to the cause – mostly through donations or fundraisers.

How many LTRCs?

• There will be a total of 8. So far:
  • Greater Greenbrier – consists of Greenbrier, Monroe, and Pocahontas Counties
  • Greater Clay

How often do they meet? Where?

• At least once a week.
• Where they meet varies:
  • Greater Clay – meets at the Risen Lord Catholic Church in Maysel
  • Greater Greenbrier – West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg or at a middle school near Rainelle
• Meeting locations and times are announced on their Facebook pages or by contacting directly.