The West Virginia Community Development Hub
Logan Nelson began selling chicken eggs collected from his family’s farm to people calling on the phone or messaging through Facebook. Word of mouth spread, and that evolved into selling eggs on the side of the roadway.
Today, egg production has further increased into supplying a local bakery and holding a table at the Pullman Square Farmers Market in Huntington, called Logan’s Coopacabana.
However, Nelson’s success wouldn’t be remarkable for just anyone…
In June of 2018, the summer before my senior year of college, I visited West Virginia for the first time. Over the span of two days, I drove over 900 miles to and through the state, wanting to see as much as I could of this new, wild, and wonderful place.
Even though I knew no one from West Virginia at the time and had no formal connections to the state, by August I had decided that this was the place I wanted to start my life after graduation. While the entrenched stereotypes of the state caused some confusion and concern in my family when I told them of my decision, I felt I had never been more clear-eyed in my life.
I saw in West Virginia the ability to create real, lasting, positive change in our communities, and the opportunity for West Virginia to serve as a model for the rest of the nation. We can prove to the other 49 states that we all can take control of our own social and economic futures in a robust and sustainable way.
I believe that West Virginia represents the soul of this nation, and the struggles within it reflect the core struggles within our country as a whole. I also believe that West Virginians are on the forefront of innovative and impactful community development efforts, and that the work being done today around the state will provide inspiration for generations to come.
This is why I am so excited to join The Hub as the Community Development Network VISTA. A vibrant, networked system of community development efforts holds the potential to vastly increase impact.
A network like this could serve as a model for other states looking to improve their own community development systems, positioning West Virginia as a national leader in community development. The results of this work could lead to a greater ability to provide needed services to our communities, improved efficiency and efficacy, and a national narrative change for West Virginia that accurately casts us as leaders and innovators.
When we are all able to communicate and collaborate more effectively, the opportunities to improve our work and improve our state are limitless.
Looking ahead, I am very excited to help contribute to the creation of a network to support West Virginians, and to make West Virginia my home.
Taylor Bennett and Kayla Wright of the West Virginia Hub were back to talk with residents last week at Espresso Yourself Coffee House at the second meeting on the Next Generation Communities Project.
The Next Generation Communities Project states that this project helps communities, “By bringing local citizens, public servants, and young people to the table and giving them access to research, resources, and support, the Next Generation Communities Project empowers communities to design initiatives and implement changes that work to redefine their community as places where more of the next generation can work, live, and thrive.”
Bennett then caught up new comers on topics from the first meeting such as the research that is being done across the country about what’s motivating young people to choose to work and live in a place…
Read the full article on the Mountain Statesman website »
To connect with the Next Generation Communities Project, email The Hub’s Taylor Bennett at t.bennett@wvhub.org.
Since we began The Hub’s Communities of Achievement Program, HubCAP, we have formed a team of volunteers that meet monthly, and have worked toward – and completed! – a number of tasks for the betterment of our community.
Our vision, defined by community members, is to make Hinton a regional hub promoting arts, culture, and active entertainment for all ages, highlighting our railroad history.
We call this initiative Hinton Full Steam Ahead, so climb aboard!
In pursuit of this vision, we have learned the importance of collaboration, hard work, and celebrating the accomplishments of our community and team, in order to show others what a little effort and cooperation can do for our community.
Amongst the “wins” for the community supported through this program, are:
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Ready to link up with the Hinton Full Steam Ahead efforts? Connect with City Manager Cris Meadows at hintoncitymanager@hotmail.com to plug in.
I’m Lexi, your new Chief Momentum Instigator at The Hub! Over the next three months, I’ll be sparking engagement for the #NewStoryWV campaign.
As an Appalachia native, storytelling is in my blood. I was raised in Milton, WV, and I’ve spent the last six years in central Appalachia working as a documentary photojournalist and reporter for various national and WV-based publications. As a first-generation college graduate, I earned my B.A. in Online Journalism from Marshall University. In the next few months, I will also complete my M.A. in Visual Communication at Ohio University.
Now that I’m at The Hub, it’s my goal to help recognize those making strides for the betterment of our state and ultimately showcase the WV I know and love. Like our culture, we are people shaped by resistance and resilience. But as a population, West Virginians are frequently misrepresented and underrepresented.
With my broad range of experience in communications and documentary background, I’ll be connecting and cultivating relationships between The Hub and community members throughout the Mountain State. By contributing positive, celebratory stories to our state’s story, we can collectively reflect an accurate representation of our people and culture and empower one another.
As a journalist, I’ve spent the majority of my career finding ways to champion a state and region that are often left out of the conversation. I’ve photographed, written and videoed various entrepreneurs, community leaders and inspirational initiatives born out of hardships. Having the ability to share the stories of the individuals who continue to invest in the Mountain State and ensure that it’s a welcoming environment for the future forward-thinking generations to come has always been a privilege that I’ve never taken lightly.
Now, after years of reporting from the sidelines, it’s time for me to participate in my own community advocacy, and I encourage you to join me. When you see positive initiatives in action – document them. Share them on your social media and add our #NewStoryWV campaign hashtag. It just takes a few minutes to add your voice to the narrative, and with your help, we can fill in the existing gaps to create a new, positive and accurate story of our resilient home.
I look forward to serving you, The Hub’s mission and West Virginian communities for the next few months.
The six Blueprint Communities teams are taking unique approaches to bringing their fellow residents into the conversation about the future of their communities.
Lewis County decided to host four mini-kickoff celebrations in areas across the county, including Hampton, Alum Bridge, Ireland, and Jane Lew, leading up to a larger community celebration event – all with the aim of engaging more people and more perspectives in their work.
New Martinsville hosted an engaging community meeting and set up stations where participants could share their perspectives and vote for the priority they were most passionate about. You can check out a news story that captured the event here.
Meadow River Valley, which is comprised of Rainelle, Rupert, and Quinwood in Greenbrier County, coordinated a community gathering at Fruits of Labor and had more than sixty community members and other supporters attend. During the event, participants heard about community project successes, learned more about the Blueprint program, and shared thoughts on their vision for the future.
Community kickoff celebrations are also set to be held in Parsons, the Monticello Neighborhood of Clarksburg, and Kingwood. Parsons plans to gather community members at the local park, have stations for feedback on the priorities, and offer ice cream as a reward for participating. Monticello is organizing a walk, based on the idea of being “on the right path,” from a community garden to to a local building. Lewis County is planning a pool party for their folks to unite as a collective community and select a priority together. Kingwood is arranging a community forum to invite community members in an engaging conversation where priorities will be explained in detail. The results will be captured via survey.
The details for each of the remaining community kickoffs are listed below. Please consider joining in on the fun and observe the beginning of this exciting journey.
If you have any questions about these events, please contact Kaycie Stushek, Director of the Blueprint Communities Program, at k.stushek@wvhub.org.
Natural Investment Capital Fund and Tamarack Foundation for the Arts are partnering up to present a three-part webinar series on financial empowerment for West Virginian creative entrepreneurs including artists and creative professionals, people working in the tourism and outdoor recreation industry as well as folks in agriculture.
There are three webinars available, and with the benefit of support from BB&T, the hosts are offering the sessions at $15 per webinar or $40 for all three.
The topics include:
Find more details and register »
Moorefield, along with Cowen, are two communities participating in The Hub’s Cultivate WV Program. Recently, as part of Moorefield’s Cultivate activities, the Create Your State tour was scheduled to travel to the area to deliver their always-inspiring multimedia presentation on how to leverage creativity to transform your community. As a community coach for the Cultivate WV program, I was excited to once again see this presentation.
As I arrived at Moorefield High School for the gathering, I was immediately taken aback by the festival-like atmosphere.
In the parking lot were pop up canopies with face painting and other art being created. Inside the school commons area, local artists and performers were busy setting up their displays, drawing, sketching, and belly dancing! The community had decided to organize a local artisan showcase prior to and conjunction with the Create Your State presentation. This fantastic idea was the perfect opening act to set the atmosphere for the performers of Create Your State.
Following the presentation, many of the participants stayed for a vibrant and robust roundtable discussion of opportunities and possibilities for further creative growth in the Moorefield area.
Congratulations to the dynamic individuals of the Moorefield community for having the vision and initiative to create such a positive and festive atmosphere!
“Richwood may never be what it once was, but we can make it something great again.” This is the mantra of the Richwood Hub Communities of Achievement Program (HubCAP) team as we work to redevelop, revitalize and reshape our town.
Our group, dubbed the #richwoodrising team, has identified key goals for growing tourism and Main Street business development and recruitment. The expansion of a bike trail network through the New River Gorge Regional Trail Authority and increased focus on motorcycle tourism has helped shape the direction of the team.
This spring, fifteen tourism-based businesses in Richwood collaborated for a shared motorcycle advertisement in a three-state map highlighting various routes. We are planning additional collaborative marketing efforts for this fall. The team also developed new relationships with those in the mountain bike and motorcycle community to better maximize the potential of the trail development, and we are working on a strategic marketing and branding campaign to help visitors better connect to the town.
Since starting the HubCAP initiative, Richwood has seen a flurry of new businesses. An identified need for more flexible lodging options has been filled with the addition of five new cabin or cottage rentals as well as a soon-to-open hostel, Cherry River Bunkhouse. An outfitter, Back Mountain Adventures, will open next month offering kayak, boat, and bike rentals as well as a shuttle service catering to bikers, boaters, and fisherman. A coffee roasting business, Cherry River Roasting, is bringing freshly roasted coffee to Main Street as well as selling their products around the state. Richwood’s existing dining establishments have been rounded out with the addition of the Chill Out Grill, a quick dining and ice cream restaurant, and Whistle Punk Grill and Taphouse, a full service restaurant offering hand crafted food.
The #richwoodrising team plans to continue to focus on growing mountain biking and motorcycle tourism as well as growing the number of local businesses. New logo and branding materials will be rolled out in a campaign highlighting the area assets as well as in a new mural and welcome sign.
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Ready to link up with the #richwoodrising efforts? Connect with local business owner Stacy Raffo at stacyraffo@frontier.com to plug in.
Looking to level-up your efforts in community development? WVU is now offering a Graduate Certificate in Community Development Policy and Practice.
The application deadline for the Fall 2019 cohort has been extended to July 31.
From WVU:
“Are you seeking to make a difference in your community? Community developers make a direct impact on our social, economic and environmental quality of life. As social entrepreneurs, we generate the innovative solutions necessary to grapple with the pressing issues communities face around the world. Whether at the level of policymaking or program implementation, WVU’s graduate certificate in Community Development Policy and Practice will prepare you to design and implement fair, sustainable and effective outcomes. Our field-based assignments and peer cohorts will help you build the skills and professional network you need for success. Students engage with faculty and fellow students on campus through virtual classroom platforms, conducting applied research and service learning together in the field. Through this collaborative educational experience, students from a wide range of careers paths and academic disciplines integrate scholarly and experiential knowledge while generating impactful change within communities. Our students’ diverse backgrounds are a valuable resource for learning and professional networking.”
Find out more information about the certificate on WVU’s site: https://eberly.wvu.edu/students/majors/community-development-policy-and-practice
