WVU Libraries

Three University Libraries employees recently traveled to Wyoming County to assist Pineville residents who were affected by July’s floods. Associate University Librarian Jo. Brown, Library Technical Assistant Sue Wang and Library Associate Judi McCracken agreed that the experience was rewarding.

Although their group was small and their time was limited, their coordinator, Pineville United Methodist Church’s the Reverend Gerald Roberts, matched skills-to-task, and the three scraped 17 water-damaged window sills and then repainted them at one resident’s house.

The three also met work teams from Keyser, WV, Winston-Salem and Spruce Pine, NC at a church gymnasium where they boarded. Rebuilding the neighborhood where Jo., Sue and Judi worked will take time. They said they would like to see the house some day after all the improvements have been completed.

Judi applying wood puty

The flood waters picked up this trailer and rammed it into the house. The house is off its foundation.

Same trailer and house, different view

We wore masks because of the particles floating around from the paint chips and gloves to protect our hands from the paint remover (it stings!).

We had to re-glaze some windows to hold the glass in place. Jo.’s reflection is in the glass. Jo. knew all the how-tos — he’s a home-improvement guy!

Scraping paint, wearing a bandana; Sue is in the background. We tried to work in the shade as the sun moved around the house!

This bridge was completely moved to land by the flood.

After a hot day