Students from Virginia Tech traveled to Augusta this week, giving up their spring break to lend a hand with the area’s ongoing hurricane relief efforts.
On the morning of March 11, these students went to work restoring the inside of a home located on St. Croix Court, and were there visited by Letitie Clark, the mother of an Augusta native who died a hero at Virginia Tech went to college.
Ryan Clark was slain while trying to assist another student during the Virginia Tech Massacre of 2007. Thirty-one others also lost their lives that April day.
His mother had carried on his legacy with the creation of The Ryan Clark Scholarship, which is awarded to high schoolers annually.
Honoring Ryan Clark’s legacy through community service
Clark decided to speak with the student volunteers not only because of their collegiate connection to her son, but also because their act of service is aligned with The Ryan Clark Scholarship’s mission.
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“The scholarship is all about community service,” said Clark. “Everyone cannot make straight A’s. Everyone cannot be a super athlete. But everyone can give back to the community, without a doubt.”
Letitie made it clear during their meeting that she considers Virginia Tech to be a home away from home, and the students who are making a stop in CSRA for the next few days should always consider themselves a part of her family.
“I’m so proud of these young people,” she said. “They are what our community is all about.”
The students were led by Bret Greshamm, a Virginia Tech campus minister, and he said the students’ drive to help others inspires him.
“This is my 17th spring break mission trip with students, and it always just amazes me. It wasn’t in my mindset when I was in college to take my spring break and do mission work. So it just always amazes me and just brings joy to me to know that they want to come and use their spring break to help others,” he said.
This meeting between Clark and the Virginia Tech students came just days before the fifth annual Run for Ryan 5k, which will be held Saturday, March 15 at Lakeside High School, his alma mater.
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The long stretch to full recovery
Scott Parrish, in charge of the disaster recovery team at Georgia United Methodist, has spent decades sending out volunteer groups from the CSRA to other states following natural disasters; He said it’s been interesting directing their support to locals this time around.
Parrish noted that many homes impacted by storm damage can take anywhere from two to three years to be fully restored.
The location at St. Croix Court in particular received five blows to the roof during Helene, but according to workers on the scene, that has turned out to be the least of the damage.
The five holes in the home’s roof allowed water to enter the space, creating an environment for mold.
With high levels of moisture throughout the house, it had to be gutted, with removals of everything from the walls to the flooring to the insulation.
Because of the trickle down effect of wreckage to homes like this one, the repair process can be lengthy and create significant disruptions to daily life.
Parrish said that the residents of this particular house have been displaced and are staying in three different locations. The primary homeowner is continuing to go to work full time as usual despite the circumstances.
Currently, volunteers are working on drywalling the house and installing insulation in the attic. The work on this property is hoped to be completed in April.
Helene homeowner rebuilding information
Church volunteers and grants are available for underinsured homeowners in the area. Richmond and Columbia County residents can find more information about Hurricane Helene homeowner rebuild assistance online.
