ROSS TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Cleanup efforts for some Butler County residents have been ongoing for days after flooding overwhelmed areas like Millville and Okeana.
For Ross Township Trustee Russ McGurrin, the impact of that flooding has been difficult to watch.
“For the people who this has happened to, it’s a catastrophe for them," McGurrin said.
Saturday, McGurrin set up at the township fire department to collect donations for those impacted by the flooding.
“We just want to reach out and do what we can as a township to try and help them," McGurrin said.
Watch: See how communities are coming together to help the flood victims
Some of the items donated included clothes, a microwave and cleaning materials.
McGurrin said his community largely avoided flooding.
Still, he said he felt the need to help out.
"I think you have to put yourself in the shoes of the people who are struggling right now," McGurrin said.
We've covered how the small village of Millville has been dealing with the ongoing cleanup.
Folks there have spent days pumping out water from their homes and trying to clean the damage left behind.
It's a similar story for residents in Okeana.
McGurrin drove there Saturday to drop off some of the donated items.
That included a sump pump that he handed to Okeana resident Tyler Lehman.
"I never expected anything like this to happen," Lehman said.
Lehman said he has lived in the area for a decade. He said this week's flooding is the worst he's experienced.
"It took my hot water heater, moved it, broke a bunch of lines and everything," Lehman said.
He said he's spent 40 hours cleaning his home. He fought back tears as he explained how overwhelming the past few days have been.
"I haven't really got to spend time with my family or nothing like that," Lehman said. "It kind of sucks to possibly see everything you have go."
Lehman said he knows it will take time to get back to normal. But, he said, knowing people are trying to help people like him means a lot.
"You never think people in a million years would go through something like this and be so inclined to help the next person," Lehman said. "It's really great, really."
McGurrin said he plans to continue collecting donations for people in need.
He said some of the best items to donate include clothes, cleaning supplies and money.
McGurrin said donations can be dropped off at the Ross Township Fire Department anytime.
