WVU community collects water for others in need
July 6, 2012 ·
The Center for Civic Engagement at West Virginia University began planning storm relief efforts early last week, and the group collected water for storm victims throughout West Virginia.
Alexis McMillen is the program coordinator at the Center for Civic Engagement. She says she contacted the Red Cross to determine how to best
help. They were told to collect water.
“We have collected an overwhelming amount of water. We’re
guessing probably 800 cases, 200 gallons, and probably 15-hundred dollars
cash.”
McMillen says students, kids, and faculty and staff from WVU
volunteered to help receive the donations. She says people came to drop off
water in droves.
“We’ve had folks who’ve said they heard about this and came
down from Uniontown-Pittsburgh
area and brought bottled water. The effort has really been great. I think
people were looking for a way to help out so hopefully this really provided an
outlet for folks to be able to help those who are in need.”
McMillen says she has personal connections with victims.
“My aunt and uncle in Lost Creek stayed with my parents in
Maidesville the better part of the week. I have family in Charleston
with a two-month-old new-born and they were without power all week. I’ve been
hearing stories all over. It’s been very touching. I really hope this gets to
where it needs to go.”
McMillen says they are driving the donations to the
Red Cross distribution center in Mount Nebo and from there the supplies will be sent out through
the southern and central parts of the state.