subject: Flood control--Virginia; Flood damage prevention—Virginia; Buchanan County (Va.)--History; Grundy (Va.)--Social life and customs; Levisa Fork Basin (Ky. and Va.); Big Sandy River Valley (Ky. and Va.); United States. Army. Corps of Engineers.

Ronald Cole is the operations manager for Virginia-Kentucky Broadcasting in Grundy, Virginia. He has been in broadcasting for over 26 years, primarily in Kentucky and Virginia. Cole was involved in broadcasting during the flood in Buchanan County, Virginia, in 1973. He received a phone call from the civil defense director, John Hash, warning of an impending flood due to heavy water systems moving in. Cole was responsible for opening the radio station early to announce the flood and provide information to the public.

Sue Branham, born on July 18, 1937, is the owner of The Corner, a ladies' and children's ready-to-wear business in downtown Grundy, Virginia. She purchased the existing business in March 1977 and continued to teach at Grundy Junior High School until 1991. Branham was directly impacted by the 1977 flood that occurred a month after she acquired the business. She resides on Route 83, outside the floodplain, and has been involved in the community's efforts to address the recurring flood issues. 

Tim Potter is the personnel director of the town of Grundy in Grundy, Virginia. He is involved in addressing the town's opportunities and challenges, particularly focusing on the flood project with the Corps of Engineers. 

Chuck Crabtree was born in 1952, in Buchanan County, where he was also raised. His family, originally from West Virginia, moved to Grundy in the late 1920s, following the coal mining industry. His grandfather was one of the first contractors for Harman Mining Corporation in Harman, Virginia, where he mined coal using ponies to pull the coal out of the mountains. Crabtree's family lived in a small camp, in houses owned by the Harman Mining Corporation, known as company houses.

David Hafley is a long-time resident of Grundy, Virginia, who has experienced firsthand the devastating effects of flooding in the region. His experiences provide a vivid account of the destruction caused by floods in the years 1957 and 1977. Hafley's resilience and determination are evident in his recounting of the cleanup efforts following these disasters, where he and other community members worked tirelessly to restore their homes and businesses.

Gene Barr, Carl Miller, and David Hefley are three individuals who have made significant contributions in their respective fields. Gene Barr is a professional who is ready to get started on projects as soon as they are approved. He is knowledgeable about flood proofing measures and the eligibility criteria for the program. He is also familiar with the process of signing up for the program and the responsibilities that come with it. Carl Miller, on the other hand, is an expert in emergency management.

subject: Flood control--Virginia; Flood damage prevention—Virginia; Buchanan County (Va.)--History; Grundy (Va.)--Social life and customs; Levisa Fork Basin (Ky. and Va.); Big Sandy River Valley (Ky. and Va.); United States. Army. Corps of Engineers.

Harold Trivett was born on May 13, 1924, in Dickenson County, Flatwood. He was raised on a large farm of 1,560 acres, where he learned farming from a young age. By the time he was five, he was already milking cows, and by six, he was milking two cows, walking two miles to school, and then returning to milk them again. Harold completed his education at Virginia Tech (VPI). After finishing school, he worked in a store in Haysi for three years before moving to Grundy, where he built a building and started a business named Arington Trivett, also known as the Family Shop, in 1950.

Helen Combs Johnson was born on February 7, 1912, in Grundy, Virginia, where she was also raised. She was delivered by her uncle, who was a doctor, in her family home located downtown, where the Combs Building currently stands. Her early childhood was marked by a significant event when the town burned down on Christmas Eve in 1915. Johnson, along with her brother, was rolled up in a blanket and taken to safety by her parents, who managed to save most of their wedding presents before their home was consumed by the fire.