Wood County residents showed their generosity this week by coming together to help neighbors in need following devastating flooding in Ohio County.
On Monday, the Wood County Resiliency Center held a flood relief drive, collecting essential supplies for victims of the recent flash floods. Community members donated bottled water, mops, brooms, garbage bags, diapers, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, toothbrushes, toothpaste, blankets, Gatorade, and more.
By Tuesday morning, the donations filled a 16-foot box truck, which Wood County Commission President Blair Couch and Sheriff Rick Woodyard personally drove to a relief staging area at Wheeling Jesuit University.
“The truck was full of supplies,” Couch reported during Thursday’s county commission meeting. He said teams of volunteers quickly helped unload the donations at the gymnasium staging site. Items were sorted and packed into buckets for distribution at three different pickup locations across the area.
One challenge they faced, Couch noted, was an oversupply of bottled water. Relief organizers had received so much that they were no longer accepting it. Still, thanks to a quick call by Sheriff Woodyard to the Ohio County Sheriff, the water was gratefully accepted for other uses.
While all the donations were appreciated, some items stood out. “They really loved the fly traps and water hoses,” Couch shared.
“Who would have thought of that?” He also recalled how vital wet wipes were in past disasters—especially when people have limited access to showers. “I bought a lot of those and put them on the truck,” he said.
Couch added a personal note: one Camden Clark employee had lost a relative in the recent flooding, a reminder of how closely these communities are connected.
Back home, Couch said he’s been fielding questions about flood-prone areas in Wood County, mentioning Happy Valley, properties along the Little Kanawha River east of Happy Valley, and Anns Drive.
He noted that residents along Anns Drive often rent trucks to move items from the ground level of their elevated homes before flooding arrives.
Reflecting on the effort, Couch said he was moved by the outpouring of support. “We always knew Wood County is a caring community,” he said. “The amount of donations they gave to their fellow West Virginians was so well received. It was a long day—but very worthwhile.”
In other business, the commission announced three vacancies on the Wood County Alternative Transportation System Council, with the current members expressing interest in continuing.
Dennis McAtee was nominated for a position on the Wood County Fire Board, and a vacancy was announced on the Enforcement Agency for the Abandoned and Dilapidated Building Ordinance.
Wood County’s response to this crisis is a powerful reminder of how West Virginians show up for one another—especially in tough times.
