Friday, September 30, 2022

Time to vote


In case you missed it, early voting began on September 23. Election Day is Tuesday, November 8 for those who prefer to cast ballots in person. Each voter in Goochland, according to county registrar Ryan Mulligan, should have received an updated voter card by now. As the result of electoral redistricting following the 2020 federal census, your electoral district and polling precinct may have changed.

All of Goochland County is now in the 5th US Congressional District. The only item on this year’s ballot is election of our congressional representative.

Candidates in 2022 are incumbent Bob Good (R) bobgoodforcongress.com and Josh Throneburg (D) joshforvirginia.com.

 Early voting, also known as “In-Person Absentee Voting” will be available at the Goochland Sports Complex at 1800 Sandy Hook Road, Goochland, VA 23063 during normal office hours, 8:30am to 4:30pm on weekdays beginning Friday, September 23 and continuing until Friday, November 4. The office will also be open for Absentee Voting on Saturday, October 29 and Saturday, November 5 from 9am until 5pm as well as Sunday October 30 from 12pm until 4pm.

Absentee voting by mail requires completion of an application available online. Mailed ballots may be returned in person during normal business hours at a drop box at the Goochland Sports Complex.

Go to https://www.goochlandva.us/359/Elections-and-Voter-Registration for complete information about voting.

In 2023, all seats in the Virginia House of Delegates and state Senate, are up for election. Goochland is now in the 10th Senate District and is the 57th and 65th District for the House of Delegates. All local officials, sheriff, clerk of the court, commissioner of the revenue, Commonwealth’s Attorney, board of supervisors, and school board members are also up for election in 2023.

At its September 13 monthly meeting, the Goochland Electoral Board, comprised of Pamela C. Johnson, Robin Lind, and Wanda Taylor, reviewed election procedures with Mulligan. This group works very hard to ensure the integrity of local elections.


Ballots ready for this year's election


Lind, a veteran of decades of local voting, said that he would be surprised if Goochland’s voter turnout this November exceeds 62 percent, enough to secure bragging rights for being the votingist jurisdiction in the state.

According to a handout distributed at the meeting, Goochland has 20,993 registered voters as of September 13, 2022. Of those, 20,228 are active. Goochland’s population, as reported by the 2020 census, is approximately 25,000. This indicates that most county citizens vote, at least in federal and state elections.

Conducting elections is a complicated process that requires many people to do it right. Election officials work few, but long, days per year. Their service is vital to ensure fair, honest elections. To learn more about becoming an election official go to https://www.goochlandva.us/359/Elections-and-Voter-Registration for complete information.

 

 

 

Saturday, September 17, 2022

County mourns passing of Don Sharpe

For Immediate Release                                                                      

 

September 17, 2022                                                                         

 

Contact:

Jessica Kronberg

Director of Parks, Recreation 
and Community Engagement 

Phone: (804) 556-5856

Cell: (804) 314-5014

Email: jkronberg@goochlandva.us

 

Goochland County Mourns Supervisor Donald E. Sharpe Upon His Passing

 

Goochland, VA – This morning, Goochland County Administration was informed that Donald E. Sharpe, District 4 Supervisor, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, September 17, 2022.

Elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2019, Mr. Sharpe became Vice-Chair in 2022. Prior to his service on the Board, he spent many years serving on the Recreation Advisory Commission, Goochland Leadership Enterprise Board, Friends of Goochland Parks, and was an active member of Goochland Rotary.

"Its hard to put into words how much I and the other board members are going to miss Don Sharpe," said Board of Supervisors Chairman Neil Spoonhower. "Coming on the board the same time and serving as Chair/Vice Chair this year, I really felt like we understood what each other was going through and had a unique bond. I came to know Don as a passionate, full throttle guy who would fight passionately for what he believed in. I was immediately impressed with how he dove into his role serving not only the citizens of District 4, but all of Goochland County. It was because of that immediate full throttle engagement and passion that even with his tragically shortened tenure he was able to make a significant contribution to our community. He served Goochland County extremely well."

 

During his time on the Board, Mr. Sharpe was active in multiple projects including the continuity of government operations during the COVID pandemic, purchase of land for Sandy Hook Fire Station, and Broadband expansion.  Mr. Sharpe also represented Goochland County on the Capital Region Workforce Partnership, and as a Commissioner to PlanRVA.

 

In appreciation for Mr. Sharpe’s service, County Administrator Vic Carpenter, ordered the Goochland County flag to remain at half-staff in his honor at all county facilities through sunset on the day of final services.

His impact will not be forgotten, he will forever be remembered for his relentless passion, service, and dedication to Goochland County.  He is survived by his wife, Carolyn and son Stephen, daughter-in-law Mary, and multiple grandchildren.

 

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time.

 

###

 

Paul E. Drumwright | Community Affairs Manager

Goochland County | Administrator's Office

P.O. Box 10

1800 Sandy Hook Road

Goochland, VA 23063

Office:  804-556-5833

Fax:  804-556-4617

pdrumwright@goochlandva.us

 

Goochland County Board of Supervisors - District 4 - Don Sharpe - 2022 Vice Chair.jpg

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Getting closer every day

 

Living without reliable access to broadband in this day and age is a daily struggle. Last year, Firefly fiber broadband entered a partnership with Goochland and several other Central Virginia Counties as well as Central Virginia electric Coop (CVEC), Dominion Energy, and Rappahannock Electric to form the Regional Internet Service Expansion (RISE) project to bring broadband coverage to unserved areas.

Connecting all of Goochland to broadband is not a one size fits all situation. In some parts of the county, people are being connected every day. In others the initiative is still in the data gathering stages.

During its Tuesday, September 6 meeting, the Goochland Board of Supervisors received an update on the progress of broadband expansion. Gary Wood, the president, and CEO of Firefly explained that there are lots of moving parts to the project that will be completed at different times. He said that best scenarios for completion is 12 to 18 months, but he expects to have the whole county wired by 2025.

RISE partner territories

The blue areas on the map are served by CVEC. Many users here are already connected to Firefly. Wood said that work there will continue until everyone who wants service is hooked up. Approximately 100 miles of fiber has been built in the Cartersville and Shannon Hill areas of Goochland, representing 700 “passings” and an investment of more than $3.5 million.

Green indicates the area served by Rappahannock. Fiber will be placed on their poles and alongside their underground cables. Connections are expected to begin there next winter. Make-ready engineering is in process here. That means that Rappahannock will be making room on their poles for fiber, moving electric lines, or repositioning transformers. Crews, said Wood, need to look at every pole to see what changes need to be made to accommodate fiber.

The pink areas represent the Reconnect project, funded by grants from the US Department of Agriculture. This area is in the data collection phase, with connection expected to begin, fingers crossed, next winter. All of this fiber will be underground. Wood said that every stream and road crossing on this proposed fiber route must be identified before the design phase starts. He said that, while underground fiber installation starts faster, it takes longer to finish than “stringing lines on poles”.

Yellow areas are served by Dominion Energy, which is providing middle mile service. Firefly will run “laterals” off the Dominion infrastructure to make last mile connections to users. On its website https://www.dominionenergy.com/projects-and-facilities/electric-projects/rural-broadband-program Dominion indicates that “scoping and design for fiber installation” in Goochland and other areas is “gearing up” and will continue throughout 2022. Wood said that Dominion needs approval from the State Corporation Commission to build this middle mile infrastructure, which will slow completion.

Wood said that Firefly will ensure that its partners send out notifications to let people know what to expect, and when contractors are in the field. That includes the color of the trucks, and the kind of identification employees have, so people can tell if someone climbing a pole near their home is supposed to be there.

Wood said that Goochland has one of the biggest “footprints” in the RISE project, which is why it’s working in several areas. The total RISE project budget for Goochland is $35,144,395 to install 320 miles of fiber for 3,538 passings.

Installing this much fiber to provide broadband, said Wood, is a big undertaking.  Contracts with the Virginia Telecommunications Act (VATI) were signed last month. Since the project’s inception contracts became more complicated. Those that started out with two or three pages now have 20 or more, involving additional lawyers. The good news, he said, is that the contract phase is “behind us and we’re ready to get to work.”

Wood said that the “take rate,” the percentage of eligible locations that have signed up for service, is as high as 70 percent. When the project was first presented in 2017, the “take rate” estimate was projected at 35 percent. He expects more people to sign on with Firefly as their wireless contracts expire.

The map indicates that broadband availability in Goochland is very much a patchwork. Check https://www.fireflyva.com/partners-goochland/ often for updates.

Crozier area residents seeking broadband sooner rather than later might want to contact http://port80.us/

Grant funding installations for Port80 expire on October 31, so get your request in today if you live around Crozier.

Expanding broadband to all of Goochland was once considered an impossible dream. This new reality is the product of hard work and determination to succeed by many people. Kudos to all who are making this happen.

 

Friday, September 9, 2022

Clear and present danger

 

Clear and present danger

Fairground Road, one of the three traffic access corridors for Goochland Courthouse Village, is a narrow, windy two-lane road that, in many places, falls steeply away from the pavement. It has no margin for error.

The county’s 2040 major thoroughfare plan  indicates that, at some vague point in the future, Fairground Road will be a four-lane undivided highway. The cost to do this was included in the 25-year capital improvement plan crafted by the county a few years ago. Inflation has made a mockery of that cost estimate.

At its September 6 meeting, the Goochland Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on a rezoning application filed by Truett Real Estate Investments, LLC for a 49.372-acre parcel near the intersection of Fairground and Maidens Road from A-2 (agricultural limited) to R-1 (residential limited) to create a subdivision of no more than 40 single family detached residences. Comments made by speakers were thoughtful, civil, and overwhelmingly opposed to the project.

Assistant Director of Community Development Ray Cash, who presented the case to the supervisors explained that the project is unusual in that the applicant inherited the parcel, which insulates the project the high land costs in Goochland.

The subject property is designated low density by the Goochland 2035 Comprehensive Land Use Plan, which means average lot size of two acres per dwelling unit. It is inside the boundaries of Courthouse Village. Since the 2035 plan was last updated, additional public water and sewer capacity has become available, to support smaller lots without adverse impacts on nearby wells.

Staff and neighbors said that the applicant has a cordial relationship with concerned citizens and has worked to assuage opposition to the project. Petitions both hard copy and online signed by dozens of people who live on or near Fairground Road opposing the project were presented to the supervisors.

The proposed name “The Village at Hidden Rock” adds another layer of confusion to the issue. There can be only one village in a village. A village, by one definition is a “small town center” not a bunch of houses. Please change the name.

The starting price point of the homes in the project was estimated at $425K, allegedly “affordable” housing. Several speakers said that is too expensive for many people who work in Goochland.

Since the first community meeting on this land use application in October 2021, neighboring property owners and those who live along and travel on Fairground Road have opposed the addition of traffic generated by more homes in the corridor. The initial application proposed 23 lots. Concerns about the impact of many septic fields and wells caused the applicant to consider extending utility lines from Hidden Rock Park to the property. The increase in the number of lots was justified to cover the expense of extending utility line.

The applicant contended that, because the subject property is inside the boundaries of Courthouse Village and is served by water and sewer, higher density is appropriate.

Utilities also make smaller, clustered lots possible, allowing for a 100-foot buffer around the subdivision. The applicant dedicated rights of way for future widening of Fairground Road.

On August 4, after a deferral, the Planning Commission voted 3-2 to deny recommendation of the application for approval. (The Planning Commission is an advisory board; the supervisors make the final decision.)

The applicant proffered left and right turns at the single entrance from Fairground Road, including a 200-foot storage taper and road improvements of various types along the entire Fairground Road frontage.

However, VDOT—the state agency whose motto is OOPS! mis-striping of the new intersection of Patterson Avenue and Parham Road its latest achievement—requires a stub road for future expansion be part of a subdivision plan so the roads can be added to the state system for maintenance.

As the subject property is at the edge of Courthouse Village, a stub road leading out of the village anticipates, indeed mandates, its expansion. This is clearly a usurpation of the Board of Supervisors’ authority over local land use decisions. A stub road that leads back into the village, encouraging creation of a road grid for future development inside the village makes a lot more sense.

According to the applicant and neighboring property owner Ben Slone, repeated attempts to meet with the VDOT engineer charged with overseeing these plans to discuss the matter, were rebuffed. Despite entreaties by both the applicant, who has no problem with a stub road going back into the village, and Slone, said engineer decreed that the stub road must end at the boundary with Slone’s land, and be paved to the property line. This also requires that a sign be permanently displayed at the property boundary.

How would you like this on your property line?


Slone said that, because VDOT engineers never bothered to visit the site, they are unaware that the end of the stub road is wetlands. Google Earth shows the area heavily wooded. VDOT refuses to provide analysis to justify this location of the stub road.

Back to traffic. Several speakers contended that Fairground Road is already overburdened by vehicles. Many traffic statistics were bandied about by the applicant, including a study contending that construction of the subdivision would have little or no effect on already failing intersections, especially at Maidens and Fairground Roads.

Opponents cited the time needed to either cross or turn at Maidens Road. Those who live along Fairground Road spoke to the high volume of traffic. According to staff comments, citizen response to the rezoning was about 14-1 against approval. Opposing petitions with more than 100 signatures were given to the supervisors.

The most poignant comments came from Barbara Slone, who, while driving on Fairground Road more than two decades ago, was hit head on, suffering serious injuries, some of which still plague her, and a miscarriage.

Curiously, there was no comment about people who live south of the James River using Fairground Road to get to Interstate 64. During afternoon rush, many cars turn south on 522 heading for Powhatan. Presumably, they go the other way in the morning.

Ben Slone said he is not as concerned about how long it takes him to drive to Broad Street Road, as he is about getting there safely. He quoted Virginia Code § 15.2-2200.

This chapter is intended to encourage localities to improve the public health, safety, convenience, and welfare of their citizens and to plan for the future development of communities to the end that transportation systems be carefully planned; that new community centers be developed with adequate highway, utility, health, educational, and recreational facilities; that the need for mineral resources and the needs of agriculture, industry, and business be recognized in future growth;... that residential areas be provided with healthy surroundings for family life;... and that the growth of the community be consonant  with the efficient and economical use of public funds.”

Louise Thompson, a resident of Soldier’s Lodge Road explained that her address is on Soldier’s Lodge Road where it intersects with Sheppardtown Road. Her address is there, Thomspon said, because even 30 years ago Fairground Road was too dangerous for people to come and go and identify her address.

Thompson also questioned why the applicant, unlike other developers in the Fairground Road corridor, did not have to make a cash contribution to fund future road improvements.

Andrew Browning, speaking on behalf of the applicant said that to get affordable housing, higher density is needed. “If I came in here presenting a couple of hundred town homes for that property, I’d get thrown out of the county.” He said that finding the perfect place for that level of density in an area served by water and sewer is a challenge.

A study of the Fairground Road corridor is going to begin in the next few months. It will identify problem spots and recommend long and short-term improvements. This will provide solid data to pursue funding and a clearer picture of existing safety issues. Also, the small area plan for Courthouse Village is still in process, now expected to be complete early next year.

For those reasons, the supervisors approved deferral of a vote on this project until at least its February meeting, hoping to have more information on which to make a sound decision.

John Lumpkins, Jr. District 3 said that this board is more involved in transportation issues than ever before and believes that VDOT wants input from localities about road projects. 

Other board members implored citizens to stay engaged in the Courthouse Village and Centerville small area plans.  The village plan must work to let Goochland grow gracefully. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, September 8, 2022

September Board of Supervisors' meeting

 

Goochland’s Board of Supervisors had a relatively light agenda for their September meeting. The afternoon portion of the meeting lasted a bit more than an hour, after which the supervisors went into closed session until 6 p.m. to discuss the “performance and duties of the County Attorney and County Administrator” as permitted by state law. Don Sharpe, District 4, was absent. We wish him a full and speedy recovery.

A brief overview of items that will not be addressed in separate posts.

September 11

Goochland Fire-Rescue will hold two 9/11 observances on Sunday, September 11.  The first will take place at the Courthouse Company 5 Fire-Rescue station 2710 Fairground Road at 9:45 A.M. The second will be held at the Manakin Company 1 Fire-Rescue Station at 180 River Road West at 7 P.M. We must never forget the sacrifice made by the brave men and women who ran toward danger at their own peril on this dark day in our history.

 

Goochland first responders remember those lost on 911



Town Hall Meetings

The fall round of county town hall meetings will be held as follows: District 1 Thursday, October 13 at Byrd Elementary School, 2704 Hadensville-Fife Road; Districts 2 and 3 Monday, October 17 in the board meeting room of the county administration building at 1800 Sandy Hook Road in Courthouse Village; Districts 4 and 5 Wednesday, October 26 at the Residence Inn at the Notch, 1800 Wilkes Ridge Circle, roughly opposite Wawa on Broad Street Road. All meetings begin at 6:30 P.M. The sessions will also be livestreamed via Zoom for those unable to attend in person.

Our elected and appointed officials provide updates on issues of interest and discuss matters of concern to each district at these events. Please try to attend or tune in to keep informed about Goochland County.

Legislative agenda

Virginia is a Dillon Rule state—or, as Board Chair Neil Spoonhower, District 2 quipped a “mother, may I?”—state where localities have only those powers given to them by state government. Therefore, it is vital that Goochland has open lines of communication with our delegation to the Virginia General Assembly: Delegates Lee Ware 65th District, John McGuire 56th District and 22nd District Senator Mark Peake.

Last month, county and school officials met with our delegation to discuss the upcoming General Assembly session and share a draft of Goochland’s legislative agenda, an outline of legislation and polices that are supported and opposed.

The county favors legislation to provide for a referendum on the retail sale of marijuana in Goochland, allowing citizens to decide if they want these stores, and the tax revenue derived from them, in the county. This would also give jurisdictions the ability object to, restrict, regulate, or prohibit the location and operation of marijuana cultivation and manufacturing facilities and marijuana wholesalers.

To preserve election integrity the county supports verification of social security information for voter registration; use of photo ID to verify identity of voters; and reimbursement of costs for absentee voting. Goochland supports initiatives to encourage broad voter participation by all, while keeping them safe, secure, and free. One citizen, one vote, easy to cast a ballot, hard to cheat.

Goochland supports sound fiscal policies at the state level and opposes unfunded mandates that shift the burden of paying for a policy from the state to localities.

The county supports increased state funding and other initiatives to expand broadband coverage to make it universal in the Commonwealth. This includes reducing or eliminating regulatory burdens on broadband providers.

Goochland opposes “the passage of any state laws that infringe upon the rights of the law-abiding citizens of the Commonwealth under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution and under Article I, Section 13 of the Virginia Constitution.”

Items submitted by our school division include state funding for resource officers at each school; legislation to support tax credits for businesses that provide training, internships and other opportunities for career studies that support Goochland’s excellent Career and Technical Education programs

Reduce the number and type of SOL tests.

Increase early childhood education opportunities.

Repeal efforts supporting collective bargaining.

Support local autonomy on issues impacting Goochland County students, staff, and families.

To see the list in its entirety see the board packet beginning on page 122  on the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/

 

Memorandum of understanding MSWCD

The Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District (MSWCD) is a governmental subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia that serves Goochland and Powhatan Counties. It has statutory powers to develop comprehensive programs for conservation and improvement of soil, water, and other natural resources.

The supervisors approved an update memorandum of understanding between the MSWCD  and the county, which outlines the expanded duties of the MSWCD to help ensure that Goochland land owners and land managers receive services that reflect the current priotiies of the county.

Among the duties of the MSWCD is administration of available agricultural financial assistance programs that help agricultural producers access programs so they can implement best farming practices for their benefit and to safeguard the environment.

The county provides a liaison to ensure open lines of communications between Goochland County and the MSWCD on all matters pertaining to agriculture. To read the complete document go to page 110 in the board packet.

Collaboration between the county and MSWCD is vital to support local agriculture, which is the foundation of our rural character. Remember “no farms, no food”

Goochland Powhatan Community Services

The supervisors approved “the amended FY2022 & FY2023 Performance Contract between Goochland Powhatan Community Services (GPCS) and the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS).”

The contract gives notice to the state government that GPCS is in partnership with  Goochland County and has submitted its service plans and requests for funds.

For Fiscal Year 2023, Goochland will provide $376,010 to GPCS in its annual budget. Under state law, the local governing body is required to approve the contract in order for GPCS to receive state funding.

See board packet for details.

Richmond-Crater Multi-region Hazard Mitigation Plan

The Board approved the 2022 Richmond-Crater Multi-Region Hazard Mitigation Plan. The result of a collaborative effort among 24 jurisdictions in central Virginia. Adopt of this plan is a requirement for a locality to be eligible to receive FEMA hazard mitigation funds, including grants.

The plan includes protocols for evacuation support (Goochland is designated as a haven for evacuees from Tidewater); public education and training opportunities; damage assessment ( utilized after the June tornado outbreak); warning systems; and participation the national flood insurance program.

Go to https://planrva.org/emergency-management-home/the-alliance/hazard-mitigation/ for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, September 4, 2022

Goochland Community Theatre needs you!

 




In 2018, a group of creative county residents led by the intrepid Jennifer Layton organized Goochland Community Theatre (GCT). It is a 501 c(3) non-profit organization, whose goals are to provide cultural and educational benefits to the community (https://gvatheatre.org/).

GCT got off to a great start 2019 and early 2020 staging productions for both children and adults before Covid shut it down. In the past months, GCT reopened and is gearing up for the fall.  

Ultimately, GCT hopes to provide community cultural events adding literary reading and concerts to theater productions. This is an opportunity for people interested in the performing arts of all ages, and home schoolers.

The next GCT production, Kid Frankenstein opens at 7 p.m. on September 30 with other performances on October 1 and October 2 at 2 p.m.  All shows are held at the Eagle Theater in the Central High School Educational and Cultural Center at 2748 Dogtown Road, Goochland 23063. This is near the intersection of Whitehall and Sandy Hook Roads in Sandy Hook.

Christmas is coming! GCT is seeking a director for its holiday show A Christmas Carol, more or less” opening on December 16th. No experience required; this is a volunteer position that will work with a small cast on a schedule created by the director. For more information contact jennifer@gvatheatre.org.

There are lots of moving parts involved to staging a play including those not on stage.

For instance, two volunteer ushers are needed for each show from 6-7 p.m. to check tickets and restrict entry to the theater until 6:30. Concession volunteers sell tee shirts, raffle tickets, and snacks before the show, during intermission, and after the performance. Other tasks will be identified as needed.

As an all-volunteer organization operating on a shoestring, GCT also needs money. Donations are welcome. For those with a local business, an ad in the GCT Playbill is a cost-effective way to get your name in front of the community. The deadline to buy ads is September 19. A pdf of the form is at the bottom of this post.

Please consider contributing as you are able, your time, talents, and treasure to GCT and help it grow to enrich our community.

Send your questions to: goochlandcommunitytheatre@gmail.com.







 

Thursday, September 1, 2022

A little help from your friends

 Goochland lent a hand to the people in Buchanan, Virginia to help them pick up the pieces after their community was hammered by a devastating flood in July. The following press release has details. 



Casey Littlefield surveys flood damage (Goochland County photo)

Goochland, VA – On July 12th, 2022, Buchanan, Virginia was hit with heavy rains which led to

severe flooding. While everyone made it through the floods safely, several hundred homes were

badly damaged. Due to the severity of the damage, assistance was needed to help with recovery.

The week of August 8th-12th Inspectors and Building Officials from Goochland, Staunton, Town of

Pulaski, Abingdon, Town of Tazwell, and Smyth Counties, along with Department of Housing and

Community Development (DHCD) and Virginia State Fire Marshall’s Office staff, assembled in

Buchanan to begin assessing the damaged structures. The officials formed teams to review and

confirm damage reports as part of the damage assessment process.

Casey Littlefield, Goochland County Deputy Building Official recounts his time in Buchanan,

“Personally, I have dealt with Earthquake and Tornado damage but very limited damage assessment

with flooding and what I found was heartbreaking.” During their second day of inspections, the group

had deemed close to thirty homes a complete loss. Accessing the sites themselves proved difficult.

“Multiple sections of road were washed away or undermined from excessive water to the point where

travel could not be done.” said Littlefield. Working in a disaster area meant little to no cell service or

internet. Crews unfamiliar with the area were unable to utilize GPS and left to rely solely on paper

maps provide by Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).

During the week he spent in Buchanan, Littlefield, along with others assessed over 300 homes. “We

met the most resourceful and resilient people, [they] cared more about how their neighbor was doing

than themselves.” said Littlefield. Many of the residents did not have flood insurance, nor do they

have the means to rebuild on their own. Regarding his experience he said, “I am humbled to have

been able to go and help where I could.”

United Way of Southwest Virginia is currently helping to coordinate volunteers and donations to

support relief efforts. To learn more, please visit https://www.unitedwayswva.org/take-

action/buchanan-county-2022-disaster-relief.