Bonus
The Road to Recovery BY BRIANNA STEPHENS
T
hey are thankful to be safe after the flood, though their homes had up to 4 feet of water inside and 30 years' worth of belongings were destroyed. The Franklin* and Lewis* families were two of more than 80 families in Pike County, Kentucky, impacted by what the National Weather Service called “life threatening” flash flooding in late August. “These were dangerously swift flood waters that did major damage,” said Jamie Conley, Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Housing manager for Floyd, Johnson, and Martin Counties. “Most of the homes were either washed away or beyond repair. Around 90 percent of the homes impacted were total losses. Very few were repairable.”
38 The Mountain SPIRIT
While Disaster Relief efforts continue after historic flooding on the heels of an ice storm in Eastern Kentucky earlier this year, CAP’s Housing and Disaster Relief staff and volunteers stepped in to help the Franklin and Lewis families start their path to recovery by doing muck outs, or removing wet materials, mud, and debris from the homes and sanitizing to prevent molding. “We did not hesitate to step up and step out to help these families in our own backyard,” said Robyn Renner, director of CAP’s Disaster Relief Program and the Housing manager for Rockcastle, Jackson, and McCreary Counties. “I am grateful for all of our staff and volunteers who have continued to bring comfort and hope for families who have faced devastation this year.”
