Photo by Emma Delk Williams Companies employees help organize personal hygiene supplies at the Triadelphia United Methodist Church flood relief location. From left, Ronald Thomeson, Bill McIlvaine and Devin Starcher.

TRIADELPHIA — Pastor Mike Palmer has gone from delivering sermons to delivering food donations as Triadelphia United Methodist Church has become a center for flood relief efforts in the area.

The transformation of the church’s front yard into a flood relief hub began following flash flooding in Triadelphia and Valley Grove on June 14. The morning after the flood, Palmer received a call from longtime friend Patty Murphy, a Williams Companies Field Office administrator, asking how they could help the area.

After that conversation, the two began collecting donations from community members and local businesses to support flood relief victims. Williams employees, church members and community members have also provided a steady stream of volunteers to man donation tents and deliver supplies and food to flood victims.

On Wednesday of last week, Palmer and Murphy recounted how the supply center had grown from a single tent in front of the church on June 15 to multiple tents, supply delivery vehicles and trucks with supplies covering the church parking lot.

“I’ve been feeding people since the first day this all started, and I’m just overwhelmed by the amount of help I’ve gotten,” Palmer said. “Not only that, but the community is still going out to help others who are in need, bringing supplies left and right.”

The church has a variety of flood supplies for victims, including personal hygiene products and safety supplies. Murphy said that if someone came by with a need for an item they did not have, they would fulfill it.

“We had a gentleman who came today who was upset,” Murphy said. “He was looking for a blow dryer for his wife, and we didn’t have any, so we went out and got one.”

The Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department has kept a tent set up at the church to provide tetanus and hepatitis A vaccinations.

A mental health group will also begin meeting at the church in the evenings to provide mental health assistance for flood victims, first responders and volunteers. The church also provides day care for flood victims.

In addition to supplies, another aspect of the church’s flood relief efforts is supplying food for flood victims, first responders and volunteers. Palmer said three free meals have been served at the church every day since the Sunday after the flooding, and volunteers have delivered food directly to victims.

“We plan on being here as long as we need to be here — until my last can of food and last roll of toilet paper is gone,” Palmer said.

Although the flooding did not directly impact the church, Palmer noted its location in an area heavily affected by the flooding has made it a valuable resource. Murphy added that the church was also a “central location,” allowing flood victims to walk to the church to pick up food if needed.

“We’ve been very good about having volunteers load up supplies and food and just drive down the street and ask people, ‘Do you need something to eat or drink?'” Murphy said. “It’s been just absolutely heartwarming to be able to give back to the community. You have to give a lot of grace, and I have seen a lot of grace given.”

Volunteer Mona Knollinger has helped package meals at the church, estimating that they distribute about 600 to 800 meals daily. She was particularly impacted by her encounter with a young flood victim who walked 2 miles to receive a meal.

“He came in after walking 2 miles and asked for a corn dog,” Knollinger said. “We told him, ‘You can have whatever you want.'”

ELV Energy Services employee Jim Tankogits has been volunteering for the church, cooking meals at the grill set-up at the church and delivering food to flood victims. Tankogits was inspired to help after his boss, ELV Energy Services Owner Chris Vani, assisted flood victims in getting safely to land on Sunday after the flooding.

“We’ve been going since Monday, and it’s kind of just been a day-by-day thing,” Tankogits said. “We deliver food to several different places that have been affected, whether that’s down in Woodsdale or out on 40 all the way down.”

Many local businesses and restaurants have donated food supplies to the church to keep them cooking. Tankogits said the church has served spaghetti dinner for “three or four days” thanks to Undo’s Family Restaurants donating 68 bags of sauce.

“It’s just been one group effort after another,” Tankogits said. “The community has really shown its true colors- everybody has come together to help.”

Palmer became emotional while reflecting on how his role with the church has transformed from pastor to community coordinator. Since Sunday, June 15, he has been stationed outside the church helping in flood relief efforts from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.

“My main priority now is to make sure people have their needs met, it’s not so much preaching the scripture to someone,” Palmer said. “I can do that if needed, but I can also have counselors come to help or just provide a space for someone to sit and pray.”