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Just for Him Ministries, local businesses and others join to support 

 

MILL SPRING—Bill and Gloria Westhoff, along with their daughter Molly Van Noort, are among the countless individuals significantly affected by Hurricane Helene and the resulting floods and destruction in Western North Carolina. Like many others in the community, they found support from a dedicated group of individuals driven by compassion and faith in their time of need. 

This includes Ken MacPhee of Just For Him Ministries, local electrician Nels Davis, the Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity, and many volunteers who all came together to help the Westhoffs with clean-up and major repairs after the storm.

The Westhoff family’s ordeal began the day of the storm when Bill was confronted with water that rose to his neck inside their home on North Highway 9, near the Lake Adger Dam. The flooding forced Bill to make harrowing decisions to rescue Gloria, who was recovering from major surgery. He loaded her through a window onto a small pontoon boat, leading them to a neighbor’s home at a safer elevation.

After spending a night at the Sunny View Fire Department, the couple finally reunited with their daughter Molly and son-in-law Jake, who, lacking cell phone service, had spent hours searching the area for Bill and Gloria after successfully evacuating their own home.

Amidst this chaos, Ken MacPhee, leader of Just For Him Ministries from Indiana, felt a divine calling to assist those impacted by the hurricane. 

Waking from a dream, he prayed for guidance and soon after volunteered to deliver essential supplies to the affected area. After helping others in the area, he learned of the Westhoff family’s situation when seeking additional opportunities to help while at Red Mountain Hardware in Sunny View.

MacPhee and his team then went to work repairing and refurbishing the Westoffs’ and their neighbors’ homes. The interiors of both houses are presently being rewired and reinsulated. 

“We look to be the hands and feet of Christ on the ground,” MacPhee remarked, embodying the spirit of community service that has surged in the area post-Helene.

Local electrician Nels Davis joined the efforts when he stopped to check on the Westhoffs and offered to help remove debris. His assistance proved invaluable as MacPhee’s team required local expertise to secure permits and ensure that repair work met safety codes.

Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity, led by Kim Freeman, also played a crucial role in repairs by providing building materials and grant funding to support MacPhee’s volunteer efforts. Others also stepped up, like local businesses Rapid Recovery and Barton Brothers, and numerous volunteers donated time and energy to clean up debris and help rebuild the family’s home. 

Reflecting on the overwhelming support received, Gloria Westhoff said she is filled with gratitude. “I’m overwhelmed and amazed at all the people who came together to help my family and neighbors.”

The Westoffs currently have a GoFundMe page set up at https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-westhoffs-recover-from-hurricane-helenes-wrath, and donations can be made to Habitat for Humanity at RutherfordHFH.org.