Moore County community helps those affected by Matthew

Following Hurricane Matthew, the Vass community has come together to help those who were forced form their homes downstream of the Woodlake Dam.
Posted 10/18/2016, 10:54:17 PM Updated 9/23/2025, 7:51:32 PM

RESIDENTS DOWNSTREAM FROM WOOD

LAKE DAM IN MOORE COUNTY ARE

BACK IN THEIR HOMES AFTER QUITE

A SCARE.

RAIN FROM HURRICANE MATTHEW

THREATENED TO BREACH THE DAM AT

WOOD LAKE COUNTRY CLUB.

THE WATER WOULD HAVE FLOODED

SEVERAL COMMUNITIES DOWNSTREAM.

HELLO.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I'M LYNDA LOVELAND.

>> I'M GERALD OWENS.

OUR GILBERT BAEZ JOINS US LIVE

FROM MOUNT PLEASANT CHRISTIAN

CHURCH WHERE THE COMMUNITY IS

HELPING THOSE FORCED FROM THEIR

HOME FOR A WEEK.

>> Reporter: THAT IS EXACTLY

RIGHT.

INSIDE THE CHURCH HERE AND THIS

IS NOT TOO FAR FROM THE DAM

THAT NEAR LY BREACHED BUT IT

DIDN'T.

WE HAVE A LOT OF NONPERISHABLE

ITEMS AND A LOT OF CLOTHES AS

WELLMENT ALL OF THIS STUFF IS

GOING TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE HARD

HIT BY HURRICANE MATTHEW.

THELMA LIVES IN THE RIVER BEND

COMMUNITY.

IT IS DOWNSTREAM FROM THE WOOD

LAKE DAM.

SHE WAS VICED WHEN AUTHORITIES

CAME KNOCKING AT HER DOOR AND

SAID SHE HAD TO EVACUATE

BECAUSE THE DAM MIGHT BREAK.

>> I DON'T WANT TO DROWN.

I SAID I DON'T WANT TO DROWN.

I DIDN'T TAKE NO CLOTHE OR

NOTHING.

>> Reporter: THE COUPLE LEFT IN

A MOMENT'S IS.

THEY WERE GONE FOR ABOUT A

WEEK.

>> I -- A MOMENT'S NOTICE.

>> IT KILLED EVERYTHING.

>> Reporter: EVERYTHING LIKE

ALL THE FOOD IN THE FRIDGE.

SHANNON AMMONS WAS TOLD ON

LEAVE HER HOME TOO.

>> FINALLY GOT THE POWER BACK.

WE LOST ALL OUR FOOD AND

EVERYTHING.

WE HAD TO THROW EVERYTHING

AWAY.

>> Reporter: THAT IS WHERE

MOUNT PLEASANT CHRISTIAN SEARCH

COMES IN.

RAYMOND CAMPBELL IS THE CHURCH

PASTOR.

HE SAYS VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN

WORKING COUNTLESS HOURS TO MAKE

SURE STORM VICTIMS GET WHAT

THEY NEED.

>> EVERYTHING FROM THE CLOTHING

TO THE FOOD TO THE HYGIENE

ITEMS TO THE BUCKETS THAT

SUPPLY CLEANING SUPPLIES.

>> Reporter: WHILE THE CHURCH

FIGURES OUT HOW TO GET THE

DONATED SUPPLIES TO THOSE IN

NEED, RESIDENT WOULD LIVE

DOWNTREATMENT THINK ABOUT WHAT

IS THE BEST THING TO DO ABOUT

THE DAM.

>> IF THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP IT,

I WANT IT REPAIRED.

IF NOT, THEN I WANT IT DRAINED.

>> Reporter: WE'RE TOLD THAT

THE OARPSHIP OF THE DAM AND THE

LAKE THERE SAY THEY WILL MAKE

REPAIRS TO FIX IT AND MAKE IT

SAFE FOR EVERYBODY.

MEANWHILE, YOU CAN SEE ALL THE

STUFF HERE THAT THE CHURCH HAS.

A LOT OF STUFF THAT NEEDS TO BE

SORTED THROUGH.

TALKED WITH THE PASTOR AND HE

SAID HE COULD USE AN EXTRA HAND

OF SOME VOLUNTEERS COMING IN TO

HELP DO SOME OF THAT.

SO CHURCH IS RIGHT HERE AND

COME ON OUT AND GIVE A HAND IF

YOU CAN.

GREAT TO SEE THE COMMUNITY

COMING TOGETHER IN THE TIME OF

NEED.

>> IT IS HEARTWARMING.