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Organization plans W. Va. flood-relief work

LoriAnn Morin, 6, of Meridian and her grandmother, Leah Morin, on Thursday donate supplies at West Central Equipment in Butler for flood-impacted communities in West Virginia. Store manager Gary Karns said people donated nonperishable food items, water, clothing, cleaning supplies and personal daily-use items such as deodorant and soap. They are collecting until noon Saturday.
Efforts could be lengthy

ROCHESTER, Beaver County — A faith-based volunteering organization plans a wide-ranging relief effort in West Virginia after a “one-in-one-thousand-year storm” caused devastating flash flooding in that state last week.

Donn Ed, the director and founder of Hosanna Industries, said the organization expects to initially send two people to the affected areas on a fact-finding mission in the next two weeks.

That will kick off what Ed believes will be a lengthy disaster relief effort on the part of Hosanna, which plans to provide housing rehabilitation, construction and appliance replacement services to people hit by the floods.

“I’m imagining it’ll probably involve four to six months of involvement at least,” said Ed. “I would imagine dozens if not hundreds of households. I simply don’t know yet.”

Heavy storms hit 44 counties in the state on June 23, causing massive flooding and trapping many residents in homes and cars for hours. At least 23 people were killed, and thousands of homes and businesses were either damaged or destroyed.

Ed said Hosanna, which provides construction, trade skill and disaster relief efforts, also plans to have a fundraising drive but hasn’t yet determined how much money the relief effort will require — though he added that it could rise into the millions.

“They’re living currently in crisis and great confusion and terrible need,” Ed said. “These people, their lives really have been uprooted and seriously damaged, and it’s going to take a lot of effort and time and investment.”

To donate, visit www.hosannaindustries.org or mail a check marked “West Virginia” to 109 Rinard Lane, Rochester, PA 15074.

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