ISSUED: 27 June 2016
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Shepherd University is teaming up with the town of Shepherdstown to collect donations for those affected by the floods that devastated several southern West Virginia counties last week. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin declared a state of emergency for 44 counties and President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster and ordered federal aid for Greenbrier, Kanawha, and Nicholas counties after storms on June 23 inundated much of the state with rain.
“Over the past few days, we have all watched in horror the excruciating devastation caused by massive flooding in West Virginia,” said Shepherd University President Dr. Mary J.C. Hendrix in an email sent to the campus community today.
“Many of our citizens have lost their homes, their businesses, their pets, and most tragically, their loved ones,” she said. “Shepherd University, together with the Shepherdstown community, has a long history of providing support to those in need during times of crises and this time will be no different. Our campus will serve as a drop off location for donated items and will collect monetary donations to assist the relief efforts.”
Anyone in the community who wants to make a donation can drop items off at Shepherd’s Wellness Center where supplies will be inventoried, reported to Homeland Security, and sent to areas in need. Currently there’s a need for the following items:
- Large-size contractor trash bags
- Mops and brooms
- Bleach
- Scrub brushes and buckets
- Rubber gloves
- Work gloves
- Pet food, pet supplies, and pet carriers
- Shovels, rakes, and water hoses
- Personal hygiene supplies
- Paper towels and toilet paper
- Diapers
- *CLOTHING WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AT THIS TIME
Monetary donations can be made online at wvvoad.communityos.org/cms/home. For more information about Shepherd’s collection efforts, visit www.shepherd.edu/communityservice/wvfloodrelief for updates.
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