Volunteers needed to clean up VLM

NEWPORT NEWS, VA. (WAVY) - Flooding Saturday in Newport News caused the Virginia Living Museum to close its doors and now volunteers are needed to clean up the mess.

Judy Triska with the Virginia Living Museum said volunteers are needed for the Broom Brigade. Volunteers are asked to wear boots and bring a broom to help clear the boardwalk trail of debris.

Volunteers will meet at the garden gate at noon.

Water came over the museum's floodgates and inundated the entire lower level of the main building and the Wason Education Center Saturday morning, according to a press release from the museum.

No museum animals were harmed by the flooding.

A maintenance supervisor for the museum came in at 5:45 a.m. to prepare for the flash flood warning that was issued for the area and installed the three flood gates. 

Water from Deer Park Lake was able to cover the boardwalk and poured over the two feet, four inch-tall gates, which flooded the museum, according to the release.

Saturday's flood marks the second time this year the museum has flooded this summer. The museum flooded back in May as well. 

Museum Executive Director Page Hayhurst said flooding like this has never happened before in the museum's 40-year history. The museum sustained twice as much damage than the May flood, according to the release.