Volunteers cross state lines to help repair Del Rio Church damaged by Helena flood

DEL RIO, Tenn. (WVLT) – The small Tennessee town of Del Rio is rebuilding a centuries-old church with some help after devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Helen.

Only a couple thousand people live in the city. It is located along the French Broad River, which took record levels of water that Friday in September and dumped it and debris directly into the Del Rio Baptist Church.

Robert Huck lives in Beebe, north of Newport. He said his area suffered from flooding, but the damage in Del Rio is on another level.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said. “It didn’t affect me. I was lucky and realized that there is always someone worse off than me and I have to help where I can.”

His answer was to go out and get to work helping those in need. He said he hopes to inspire others to reach out to their neighbors.

“When one person volunteers, then three people volunteer, and then 10 people volunteer, and it just keeps going,” Hack said.

Inspiration did it. Kevin Bryant is not an East Tennessee neighbor; he and his church group call Springdale, Arkansas home. He said it was a no-brainer for Mercy and Grace Cathedral Church to make the trip to Del Rio.

“At home it’s kind of like a country church. So to come here and help another rural church is perfect for us,” Bryant said.

After traveling across the state, the group removed destroyed floorboards and distributed emergency supplies.

“We planned and collected supplies over the course of about two weeks from northwest Arkansas, from residents and businesses,” Bryant said. “We loaded up the van and the church bus.”

The group spent days in an unfamiliar place, literally in a disaster zone, but they helped with a smile.

“It makes me sad in my heart to see something like this happen, but to see God’s people and just everyone come together and work together and do this; that’s what makes me smile,” said another volunteer, Blake Bilderbeck.

Chris Nichols said the group leaves not just with the knowledge that they did a good deed, but with a message for others.

“Please don’t forget about these people,” Nichols said. “In three months, it will be second thought to everyone else in what I would call the real world. Don’t forget these people.”

The group has now returned home. As for Del Rio Baptist Church, it plans to hold Sunday services in the church parking lot until cleanup is completed.