On Tuesday, just two days before Thanksgiving, 12 families in Rainelle and White Sulphur Springs, who lost their homes during the June 23 flood, shed tears of joy as they received keys to newly constructed homes.
Two housing developments held ribbon cutting ceremonies at either end of Greenbrier County on the same day. Appalachia Service Project (ASP) in Rainelle, and Homes for White Sulphur Springs (HFWSS), handed the keys to brand new homes to several families that were devastated by the flood. ASP held their key ceremony and home dedication at 10:30 a.m. at Grace Village (188 Chestnut Street) in Rainelle. HFWSS conducted their key ceremony and home dedication at 2:30 p.m. at Hope Village on Big Draft Road in White Sulphur Springs. Both events garnered large crowds in honor of the flood victims.
“We want to return families to their homes as quickly as possible,” said ASP President/CEO Walter Crouch. “The generosity of our donors and volunteers has meant that six families will be in new homes by Thanksgiving. What an incredible Thanksgiving blessing.”
“Only those who have had this hardship happen to them can truly know the hurt and suffering these families have been through,” said Pastor Robert McClintic, at the Hope Village ribbon cutting ceremony. “This land has been given and dedicated to the flood victims of White Sulphur Springs.”
“Throughout Appalachia, 17,000 volunteers came in response to the flood disaster,” said Father Chapin. “The response has been nothing short of amazing.”
“Today is the dedication for our first six homes in Hope Village. This morning there was a dedication for six homes in Rainelle, so it’s a big day for Greenbrier County. The flood recovery effort is well on its way, but there’s a lot more to do,” said Tom Crabtree, committee member for Homes for White Sulphur Springs.
“We have another 12 or 13 homes under construction, and another four groundbreakings next week, and hopefully we’ll get to 40 homes before next summer. That’s how many properties we have, and, I’ve said it before, we want to run out of families that need homes before we run out of land,” Crabtree said.
