Flood Victims in Frankfort and New Richmond Receive Urgent Relief Aid

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Flood victims in Frankfort and nearby New Richmond, Ohio, are receiving much-needed assistance through various local efforts, including free laundry services offered by Walmart and community organizations. The mobile laundry unit is operational until Monday, April 14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Walmart Supercenter parking lot on Leonardwood Drive.

One of the many individuals benefiting from the service is Erica Kendall, who had to evacuate her home due to flooding, even though her house did not sustain damage. With her water service shut off, she is grateful for the help she has received. “They helped me with a few Tide pods. There’s a guy who owns a laundromat…he let me wash all of our clothes for free, so that was a blessing,” Kendall explained.

JT O’Connell, another flood victim, shared his harrowing experience with the floods along the Kentucky River. “The waters came all the way up the hill and into the second story of my home. The force of the river actually lifted the refrigerator out and flipped it over,” he said. O’Connell’s house is heavily damaged, and many of his family’s personal belongings, including cherished photographs, are spoiled.

Despite the destruction, O’Connell maintains a positive outlook. He recalls his family’s humorous encounter with a holiday ham that floated into their yard. “I thought it was a basketball at first. My wife said, ‘no, it’s a ham.’ So, I rolled it down the hill there to give the wildlife something to munch on for Easter,” he remarked. O’Connell plans to tackle the cleanup, one task at a time, starting with laundry day.

In New Richmond, Ohio, local organizations are mobilizing to help flood victims as well. The First Baptist Church has initiated a drive for cleaning supplies and personal items critical for recovery, having already filled tables with donations since they began collecting on Monday. Volunteer Mike Slade highlighted the urgent need for bleach, mops, and buckets for disinfecting surfaces. They expect to distribute supplies starting Wednesday.

“In this river town right now, people are affected. You go up on Beechmont or anyplace else, and it’s business as usual. These guys are suffering because they have nothing,” Slade said.

To further aid recovery efforts, a Tide Loads of Hope laundry truck will also be stationed in New Richmond to provide free laundry services. “A lot of them are out. They’ve been living probably not at their house or at somebody else’s house, and if they need some help with their laundry, we’ll have a truck out there,” Slade noted.

The Plane Street Coffee House and Cafe in Bethel has stepped up as well, collecting supplies to assist their neighbors in New Richmond. Manager Charla Hall expressed empathy for the struggling residents, stating, “We’ve never had to go through that, so I just—I can’t imagine myself having to clean up everything when the water goes back.”

Moreover, New Richmond business owner Chad Blackburn is designing special T-shirts, with all proceeds from sales going towards disaster relief efforts. Blackburn, who feels a strong connection to the community despite being from Batavia, aims to raise at least $5,000. “It’s our way of saying thank you for what you’ve done for us. Without them, we’re not here, so we have to support each other,” Blackburn said.

The collaborative efforts from Frankfort, Kentucky, to New Richmond, Ohio, reflect the resilience of communities coming together in times of crisis.