PILOT MOUNTAIN — For around 40 people whose homes were flooded, or near flooded, after heavy rains Sunday into early Monday morning, the Armfield Civic Center in Pilot Mountain is now home.

After being evacuated between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. Sunday night, residents of the Pilot Mountain Family Campground, which sits on the banks of the Ararat River, first gathered at the Quality Inn in Pilot Mountain, and then were transported to the American Red Cross building in Mount Airy.

As the number of people needing assistance grew, the Red Cross moved the shelter Monday afternoon to the civic center, where cots are set up in half of the gymnasium.

According to a press release from the Surry County Red Cross, the shelter opened at 3 p.m. Monday and is open to anyone who has been affected by the flooding Sunday night and needs food, water and emergency shelter. That included the 30 mobile homes evacuated at the campground.

The Red Cross also is providing emergency financial assistance to help those flooded out to replace food and clothing.

For Donna Law, the concern wasn’t just for her own safety, but also for that of her three house cats, who are taking refuge at Pilot Mountain Animal Hospital.

“I haven’t slept at all, because you just can’t sleep for a while,” Law said Monday as she sat in the hallway of the civic center. “I feel guilty. I’m the most fortunate of anyone there, because my trailer is on high ground and had no damage.

“My main concern was I’ve got to get my cats out.”

Law was enjoying a movie she had been wanting to see on television Sunday night as the heavy rains continue to fall. After midnight passed, she had seen the lights when some emergency vehicles entered the campground, which serves as a permanent home for most of its occupants, but she just thought someone needed an ambulance.

“I knew living on the river was a risk, but it is beautiful there. That’s why I chose the site I was in. I will do without amenities to have the cats and live there,” she said. “I didn’t know what the commotion was. It was raining so hard I couldn’t see out the windows.”

When more and more emergency lights were showing up, Law said she went outside to see what was going on and she saw the river was at her driveway.

“The neighbor came running up and said we got to get out of here now,” she said. “I came out in my pajamas with my cats in their carriers, a Bible, purse and one change of clothes. The firefighters helped carry (the cats) to the car.”

Law said she also was lucky because she was able to get her car out of the campground, while many of the other residents’ vehicles were stranded and covered in water and mud.

“We just got word that (the owner) is going to rebuild,” Law said, explaining that the septic system was flooded and the power was out due to the flooding. “So it is a temporary crisis.”

But that “temporary crisis” may last for about a month until the system can be rebuilt and recertified as usable. Until then, Law, her cats and many other residents will be living in temporary housing situations.

After leaving the campground, Law said she stopped at the Neighbors convenience store, which is open 24 hours. “I walked in with my bag of clothes and said, ‘I’m a refugee, can I use your restroom?’ as I showed them my bag of clothes.”

William Smith Sr. is in much of the same predicament as Law and the others, with no where to go.

Smith said Monday afternoon as he motioned toward the cots set up in the gym that he would be staying at the shelter as long as it was available.

“He’s going to fix it. Until then, I’ll just have to leave it up to the Red Cross,” he said of where he would be living until the necessary repairs are made at the campground.

“This is my home right now. Home is where you hang your hat,” Smith said.

While he has only lived at the campground about three years, Smith said other residents said 1978 was the last time the campground flooded as bad, maybe even worse, than it did this weekend.

“I live in the second trailer down from the office. The water made it up to my door, but it didn’t leave mud in the trailer, just a few puddles at the door,” he said. “In three years, it’s never made it up that far.”

He said he was already up when the evacuations began. He had heard what he thought was an argument outside, but then he realized it was a couple of guys trying to pull a van out of the water.

“I put my clothes on and went out and the river was straight ahead. It was rising awful fast, three feet at a time.”

Smith stayed at the campground until everyone was out safely and then, instead of riding his scooter in heavy rain, he caught a ride to the Quality Inn where everyone was meeting with Red Cross.

“I haven’t been to sleep since I got up last night either. I don’t know why, it’s not like me. There’s just something in the storm’s all I can say,” Smith said.

Law said Monday afternoon that the river had receded to its banks, but she was concerned about the possibility of more rain sending back up.

“It’s a process,” she said of dealing with her emotions and with what to do now. “I feel so guilty that I didn’t lose my car. People say they only have a couple feet of mud, but that will mildew.

“I’m just glad, it was so close, that everybody got out,” Law said. “One neighbor, they didn’t hear the rescuers knocking because they were asleep. Their dog woke them up. They just barely got out, it was already over their car.

“The river was just so high before it even started raining.”

She said, “I’m so glad rescue got there as quick as they did, because at the other end (of the campground), people were already losing stuff. It was run for your life.”

Contact Wendy Byerly Wood at wbyerly-wood@mtairynews.com or 719-1923.