May 31, 2009
WV School of Osteopathic Medicine Offers Free Clinic in Mingo County
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Lewisburg, WV (HNN) – People who live in Gilbert and other rural towns in Mingo County say it’s common for the area to experience minor flooding. However, nothing could prepare residents for what took place a few weeks ago.
The rain began falling on May 8. It rained that whole night and into the next morning. Water poured off the mountain sides into the little streams and ravines. Creeks quickly jumped their banks.
“There was just too much water and nowhere for it to go,” summed up one of the Army National Guard soldiers who is stationed in the gymnasium of the Larry Joe Harless Community Center on the outskirts of downtown Gilbert.
When it was all over, it became the worst flooding to hit the area since 1977. Drive along Route 52 and you might think you’ve entered a war zone. The closer you get to Gilbert, the worse the devastation.
In many cases, it depended on where you lived and the luck of the draw whether you were affected by the raging waters or not. Many people who lived along the Guyandotte River were spared because the river level is controlled by the R.D. Bailey Dam, but those living along the normally tranquil creeks that crisscross the area weren’t so lucky.
Approximately 4,000 homes sustained significant damage or were completely destroyed in Mingo County. Over 120 private bridges were either damaged or destroyed. The county was quickly declared a federal disaster area by President Obama.
With all the different agencies that have set up shop in town to provide relief efforts, the population of tiny Gilbert (1,200 people) has probably doubled. “We have FEMA, the National Guard, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Small Business Association – you name them, they’re here,” said Cheryl Mitchem, Executive Director of the Harless Center, which has become the staging area to distribute aid and assistance.
“We have so many churches and small groups that I couldn’t even name them all. We even have private individuals from Beckley or even Charleston who come down on their own. They just show up with a mop and ask: ‘What do you want me to do?’”
Despite all the help, Mitchem saw a need. Luckily, the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) was able to fill that need. “We were in desperate need of Tetanus shots. We went through our local supply very quickly,” she said. “I got a call from (WVSOM President) Dr. Rafes and he asked, ‘What can we do?’ I said, ‘How about Tetanus shots?’ and he said, ‘You got it.’”
The clinic that WVSOM staged at the Harless Center on May 27 surpassed Mitchem’s expectations. “I wanted to get the word out to people about all the other effects of flooding, like mold and mildew. So I wanted information that people could count on, and WVSOM supplied that as well,” she said. “At first, I thought it would just be one doctor with a couple of students standing around handing out information. Instead it grew into a full-fledged clinic,” she said.
In total, the WVSOM contingent consisted of 20 students, 12 faculty and staff members, and three resident physicians. WVSOM not only supplied Tetanus shots and patient education, it also set up a triage area to provide other health services as well. Supplies were donated by Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, Robert C. Byrd Clinic, and Fritz’s Pharmacy in the Lewisburg area.
For one WVSOM faculty member, the flooding in Gilbert hit particularly close to home. David Butler, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, is a 2005 graduate of WVSOM. Dr. Butler grew up in Iager, about 12 miles from the area hardest hit by the flooding. “I knew a lot of people affected by the flood, so it was great opportunity for me to give back to the community and help out any way I could,” he revealed.
“I still have many family members and friends who live here. The water actually got within an inch of getting into my grandfather’s basement, so all in all my family was very lucky and very blessed,” said Dr. Butler.
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WV School of Osteopathic Medicine Offers Free Clinic in Mingo County
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Lewisburg, WV (HNN) – People who live in Gilbert and other rural towns in Mingo County say it’s common for the area to experience minor flooding. However, nothing could prepare residents for what took place a few weeks ago.
The rain began falling on May 8. It rained that whole night and into the next morning. Water poured off the mountain sides into the little streams and ravines. Creeks quickly jumped their banks.
“There was just too much water and nowhere for it to go,” summed up one of the Army National Guard soldiers who is stationed in the gymnasium of the Larry Joe Harless Community Center on the outskirts of downtown Gilbert.
When it was all over, it became the worst flooding to hit the area since 1977. Drive along Route 52 and you might think you’ve entered a war zone. The closer you get to Gilbert, the worse the devastation.
In many cases, it depended on where you lived and the luck of the draw whether you were affected by the raging waters or not. Many people who lived along the Guyandotte River were spared because the river level is controlled by the R.D. Bailey Dam, but those living along the normally tranquil creeks that crisscross the area weren’t so lucky.
Approximately 4,000 homes sustained significant damage or were completely destroyed in Mingo County. Over 120 private bridges were either damaged or destroyed. The county was quickly declared a federal disaster area by President Obama.
With all the different agencies that have set up shop in town to provide relief efforts, the population of tiny Gilbert (1,200 people) has probably doubled. “We have FEMA, the National Guard, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Small Business Association – you name them, they’re here,” said Cheryl Mitchem, Executive Director of the Harless Center, which has become the staging area to distribute aid and assistance.
“We have so many churches and small groups that I couldn’t even name them all. We even have private individuals from Beckley or even Charleston who come down on their own. They just show up with a mop and ask: ‘What do you want me to do?’”
Despite all the help, Mitchem saw a need. Luckily, the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) was able to fill that need. “We were in desperate need of Tetanus shots. We went through our local supply very quickly,” she said. “I got a call from (WVSOM President) Dr. Rafes and he asked, ‘What can we do?’ I said, ‘How about Tetanus shots?’ and he said, ‘You got it.’”
The clinic that WVSOM staged at the Harless Center on May 27 surpassed Mitchem’s expectations. “I wanted to get the word out to people about all the other effects of flooding, like mold and mildew. So I wanted information that people could count on, and WVSOM supplied that as well,” she said. “At first, I thought it would just be one doctor with a couple of students standing around handing out information. Instead it grew into a full-fledged clinic,” she said.
In total, the WVSOM contingent consisted of 20 students, 12 faculty and staff members, and three resident physicians. WVSOM not only supplied Tetanus shots and patient education, it also set up a triage area to provide other health services as well. Supplies were donated by Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, Robert C. Byrd Clinic, and Fritz’s Pharmacy in the Lewisburg area.
For one WVSOM faculty member, the flooding in Gilbert hit particularly close to home. David Butler, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, is a 2005 graduate of WVSOM. Dr. Butler grew up in Iager, about 12 miles from the area hardest hit by the flooding. “I knew a lot of people affected by the flood, so it was great opportunity for me to give back to the community and help out any way I could,” he revealed.
“I still have many family members and friends who live here. The water actually got within an inch of getting into my grandfather’s basement, so all in all my family was very lucky and very blessed,” said Dr. Butler.
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