Notre Dame senior spends week at mission trip to West Virginia.
Notre Dame senior Mitchell Ballew is building part of a deck stairway in Rainelle, West Virginia, as part of the rebuilding effort after last year’s deadly flood.
When Notre Dame Prep senior Mitchell Ballew got to West Virginia last week to help with rebuilding efforts after a June 2016 flood devastated the southeastern portion of the state, he wasn’t quite prepared for what he saw.
“It was an eye-opening experience to witness the destruction caused by the flood,” he said. “I was glad I was able to help some of the families who were most severely impacted.”
Ballew and a high school youth group from the Clarkston United Methodist Church traveled to Rainelle, West Virginia, to assist with the Appalachia Service Project’s long-term recovery effort to help rebuild the community, which was the epicenter of last year’s deadly flood.
One of the worst in state history, the flood destroyed more than 1,000 homes statewide and 23 people lost their lives. Rainelle was devastated, including 90% of the homes near the downtown area. Five people in Rainelle did not survive the catastrophic flood.
Ballew was joined by 36 other hard-working youth and adult chaperones in Rainelle a little more than a year since the flood damaged or destroyed more than 300 homes in this small Appalachian town. Ballew and crew partnered with Tennessee-based ASP, whose mission is to make homes warmer, safer and drier across the Appalachian region.
For Mitchell Ballew, he was glad he was able to assist those who were in very desperate circumstances. And he looks forward to getting back if possible to continue that work.
“I learned a lot last week and hope to help again any way I can,” he said.
Ballew, far left, and his crew in front of a house they helped repair.
Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org.
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school’s upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation’s best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame’s middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate “World Schools.” NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.