West Virginia University students and staff joined flood relief efforts in Wheeling and Fairmont on June 19. The area suffered significant damage from flash floods the previous weekend, resulting in at least eight deaths and many displaced residents.
A team led by Aidan Priest from WVU Land-Grant and Community Outreach, alongside Nick Eiginger of the WVU Downtown Visitors Center, included students Colin Street, Rozaireo Jones, Brogan Dozier, Nolan Danhires, and Landon Tucker. They focused their efforts on Midtown Storage in Triadelphia, where they cleared debris and mud after severe flooding.
Saun Capehart, owner of the affected storage units in Wheeling, expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by the WVU volunteers. “We’re so overwhelmed,” Capehart said. “But then these WVU students showed up — I couldn’t believe it when I got the call.”
Landon Tucker shared his perspective on being involved in local disaster recovery. “As soon as Aidan told me this WVU effort was happening and asked me if I’d be interested, I said, ‘Absolutely,’” he stated.
The group delivered supplies collected in Morgantown to the Northern Panhandle using a 26-foot truck. Contributions came from individuals and organizations such as WVU Medicine and Panera Bread.
Brogan Dozier emphasized the importance of community service instilled by her upbringing. “I grew up in Charles Town and my mom was really big on giving back to our community,” she noted.
Priest reiterated WVU’s commitment to serving West Virginia: “As a land-grant institution, it is our duty to serve the state.”
