HAZELTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — Kenneth Helmick, a Marine veteran, and his wife Iva Davis, said they are completely astounded by the community outreach and help they have received since losing their Kingwood house in a fire last month.
After their stay at the Heldreth Motel, the Microtel Inn and Suites by Wyndham Hazelton and Bruceton Mills offered the two a months stay for the couple, along with their pup, Simba.
“As employees and team members of ours live in the community, we feel it’s important to engage and help when and when we’re able,” said owner James Fair. “It’s important, you know, for the Helmick family, given that he is a veteran, you know, he served our country very faithfully and the last thing we want is a family like that be concerned about where they’ll be sleeping tonight.”
The stay was offered until the end of March, but a Fairmont woman also donated 27-foot camper for the family to stay in. They will be able to move in as soon as they get the water, sewage and electrical set up, which Helmick said will be hopefully within the next few days.
Helmick and Davis said they want to thank everyone who has donated so far, from the camper, to a new pacemaker donated by Mon Health Heart and Vascular Center, to meals donated by local churches, to work put in by the Marine Corps and Operation ActiVet.
“You know, it’s just the people that you don’t know, who come out and help you. You’ve never seen them before. West Virginia, by gosh, you know, we are almost heaven.”
The couple does want to move back into their home once the roof and area destroyed in the fire are repaired. “We’ll go that way and stop off and see the granddaughter and there’s our home and nobody’s in it,” Helmick said in an interview with 12 News.
The family is still in need of building materials to rebuild the roof, including trusses, 16-foot 2x6s, half inch ply wood, and insulation and electrical wiring. Donations can be made at 84 Lumber in Morgantown through Jason Wyatt. One additional request was a rocking chair for their great grandchild.
If you would like to make contributions, you can also donate their GoFundMe link or donate clothing—size large in tops and 11 in pants in women’s and size extra large in tops and 32 length and 38 wide pants in men’s.
Helmick and Davis plan to move into the camper by April 1, but in the long term, they are most looking forward to having their home back. “I’ve been around the world, I’ve been in Japan, all over the U.S., but West Virginia is home,” said Helmick. They said that after they are finished with the camper, they plan pass it on to help another family in need of a home.
If you have items you would like to drop off, you can contact Kenneth Helmick and Iva Davis at (304) 680-7982, or their granddaughter Makensy Sigley at (681) 209-8979.
