Description
Students learn about orienteering and watershed health.
West Virginia is not currently responding to a recent disaster, although historically we are aware that this can change without a moment’s notice. Through disaster recovery projects since 2001 (following flooding), we have built up momentum and a volunteer base as well as a full summer mission team program. Our current response will be in the areas of advocacy and in mitigation against further disaster in areas where poverty compounds disaster.
Brief description of the structure established to coordinate the response by the middle governing body (MGB)
West Virginia Ministry of Advocacy and Workcamps, Inc. (WVMAW), was started as the Disaster Recovery arm of the Presbytery of West Virginia in September 2001. The organization was incorporated in May 2002. WVMAW’s executive director reports to a board, which represents Presbyterians from around the state. The executive director also periodically presents reports to the presbytery, is an agency member of the Social and Ecumenical Ministry Committee and a clergy member of the Congregational Development Committee.
Volunteers and individuals served
There are 57 work groups scheduled for 2008, as well as four teams of two people that will join with other groups.
As of July 1, 28 groups totalling 424 individuals have worked in West Virginia, serving 98 work days.
In Montgomery, repairs and projects for five families, representing 15 people.
In
Kopperston, repairs and projects for nine families, representing 25 people.
In
Colcord, repairs and projects for five families, representing nine people.
In
Welch, repairs and projects for two families, representing five people.
In Ashland, an alternative wastewater treatment project has begun that will serve 21 households representing approximately 50 people. It is located at the trailhead of a Hatfield and McCoy Trail for all terrain vehicles and is a tourist destination. A new KOA Campground was completed in 2007.
Type of Work
Montgomery, West Virginia: Projects have included replacing roofing and repairing extensive interior water damage in three homes, including extensive interior reconstruction, rebuilding porches and building a wheel chair ramp.
Kopperston, West Virginia: Projects have included siding, painting, sheet rock, plumbing, electrical and wheel chair ramp construction.
Colcord, West Virginia: Projects have included siding, wheel chair ramp construction, replacing three roofs, porch construction, sheet rock and interior reconstruction.
Welch, West Virginia: Projects have included replacing flooring, rebuilding kitchen walls and replacing cabinets with donated cabinets, rebuilding porch, steps and interior wall repair.
Ashland, West Virginia: Volunteers have continued to dig drainage ditches for an alternative wastewater treatment system in a community that currently has no wastewater treatment.
Examples of how Presbyterian congregations worked in partnership with other faith-based organizations
The Montgomery Presbyterian Church has facilities to house up to 32 workers. Through membership in the ministerial association, the church has an ecumenical food pantry, crisis closet and clothing closet for outreach in the community. Mission workers from Grace Presbytery of Texas brought boxes of food for the pantry, as well as monetary donations for food items. They also built shelving to help organize the crisis closet items.
Volunteers helped create an ecumenical coffee ministry to serve people who come to the clothing closet on a weekly basis.
Advocacy
WVMAW involvement in helping to implement the alternative wastewater treatment system for Ashland, West Virginia, continues. As the project nears completion, more information will be provided as update.
Background
WVMAW is a collaborative partner with the Wastewater Treatment Coalition of McDowell County. The WTC was formed after the 2001 floods and the necessity of addressing the lack of wastewater treatment came to the attention of many entities and individuals. WVMAW became involved because the lack of wastewater treatment is a social justice issue that continues to keep the county from economic development, and therefore keeps many residents of the county in poverty conditions.
In McDowell County, 67 percent of all wastewater is straight-piped directly from homes into the rivers and streams. Because of geographic diversity, mountain barriers, and the depressed economy, typical sewage treatment is not feasible for most of the county. The Wastewater Treatment Coalition has completed a plan proposal for every household and business in the county.
Ashland is located at the headwaters of the Elkhorn Creed. A small community of about 21 houses, the WTC chose to put in an alternative wastewater treatment system — technically called a Septic Tank Effluent Gravity collection system with constructed wetland treatment cells. An oversimplified explanation is that the system works by pumping effluent uphill to a drain field that has low pressure pipe dispersal, working like a giant septic system. This alternative system was designed by Canaan Valley Institute engineers, along with contracted assistance from Stafford Engineering and consultation with Maxim Engineering.
Because the drain field is located in a wetlands area of the mountain, it is important to keep the area as natural as possible. Bringing in machinery to dig the ditches would disturb the natural lay of the land and the trees. It was decided that volunteers could help to dig the drain field and thus cause as little damage to the environment as possible.
Current
So far six groups of volunteers have spent much of their mission weeks helping to implement this system. This summer Ed Winant, Engineer and designer of the project from Canaan Valley Institute, and Josh Huddleston, Summer Intern Site Supervisor from WVMAW, have overseen the labor. Completion of construction is projected for October 2008. The drain fields are projected to be complete by the end of July.
Funding for the total project is coming in part from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (funds have been in place and held since 2004 for implementation of a wastewater treatment project). Other funds that have been secured include West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, the McDavid Foundation, SAFE Housing and Economic Development, Canaan Valley Institute, West Virginia Stream Partners program and a possible grant from the Governor’s Partnership. Final hook up will be funded by individual homeowners.
VISTA Worker and Youth Program
WVMAW has been able to provide partial funding for hiring a VISTA worker for the Wastewater Treatment Coalition. Candace Keasler, VISTA, helps to coordinate WTC activities and education in McDowell County as well as oversee the FLOWs UNITE program for middle school youth. [Read Candace's report]
Stories of Hope
Future
There is still plenty of summer left, with many groups packing their tools and bags. We have far more referrals for work needed than we can begin to touch, and we are always conscious of having to respond to long term recovery needs in the event of disaster in West Virginia.
The north central part of West Virginia has had recent non-declared flooding, and Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) will be meeting to review numbers and needs and to determine if long term recovery programs would apply in some areas. WVMAW will consider re-locating housing where available to respond to those needs if that is appropriate.
We continue to pray for those places where disaster has consumed homes and devastated the lives of many families. We pray that the skills folks learn with WVMAW will translate to skills that will be used to reach out in other places where recovery may be needed, or where mitigation will make the difference between minimal loss and total disaster. |
