Charities, corporations send flood-relief supplies to northwest Georgia community

SUMMERVILLE, Ga. (CBS46) - In the last 72 hours, Pastor Sammy Barrett has seen his share of miracles in the parking lot of North Summerville Baptist Church.

Every time volunteers start to run low on bottled water to give to desperate Chattooga County residents, another tractor trailer pulls up carrying pallets of bottled water.

“It’s a God thing,” he said. “If you put the word out, and if you pray hard enough, God answers your prayers.”

Some 8,000 homes and business lost access to running water when Summerville’s water-treatment plant sustained flood damage during the heavy Labor Day weekend downpours. Without running water, residents are unable to take showers or flush toilets. School cafeterias are unable to prepare meals for students, forcing the Chattooga County School District to close schools through at least Wednesday.

Between sunrise and 9 a.m. Tuesday, three tractor-trailers full of bottled water and flood-relief supplies had already pulled into the North Summerville Baptist Church parking lot, and more trucks were on the way.

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“It’s wonderful,” said resident Ray Casey, adding that the lack of running water has been hard on his 97-year-old mother. “There’s no place like Chattooga County, Summerville, Georgia, and the wonderful churches.”

A sheriff’s office charity in neighboring Floyd County donated and unloaded a tractor-trailer full of flood relief supplies.

“It’s just been a great effort from everybody all around,” said Kevin Woods, Chief Deputy of the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office. “The faith community has been remarkable, outstanding, so it’s been a collaborative effort from everyone involved.”

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