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Local journalism is the heartbeat of our communities – celebrating National Newspaper Week

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BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

Local journalism is the heartbeat of our communities in West Virginia. While we tend to the needs of our daily lives, we depend on our locally-based media to be our eyes and ears.

As I travel the state talking with West Virginians who are invested in making a difference in their communities about how to amplify the stories coming out of their work, one of the main tactics that we focus on together is how to engage with local journalists. When I ask them about who in the room is connected to a journalist – a majority of people in the group always raise their hand. We are a small, but mighty state. Our local journalists attend church with us, they went to high school with us, our children play with their children, they are our neighbors, friends, and family members.

Many of us can remember being at the knees of our own mothers and fathers while they sat with a newspaper in hand. Keeping up with the local news wasn’t just a pastime for them, it was a practice rooted in a value: being a member of this community means bearing witness to what is happening in the lives of our neighbors.

When I reflect on the challenges local media outlets are facing, I lament the potential loss of our chief watchdogs on community matters, but it is the loss of the stories of my neighbors that shoots straight to my heart. The stories coming out of local journalism efforts show us who we are as West Virginians – stories like the war veteran recounting his triumphs on the battlefield; the dreamer who sees a need for her community and opens up a business to fill it; or the volunteer team that is collecting Christmas presents for families in need.

Local journalists shine a light on our shared history. Their stories reflect the needs, values, and progress happening in our communities – they are our collective heartbeat. And, as recent research from Texas A&M, Louisiana State and Colorado State universities shows us, they support us in being a more engaged citizenry, making decisions in the voting booth that reflect our own – and our neighbors – best interests.

This National Newspaper Week, I’m extending my gratitude to West Virginia’s storytellers working alongside us on the ground as we build the path to a bright future for our state.

6 young leaders to watch in WV – Beacon Awardees honored by Generation WV and One Foundation

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Head to the Beacon Awards page on the Generation WV site to see the awardees!
BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

Congratulations to the first 6 winners of the One Foundation and Generation WV’s Beacon Awards! The winners are:

  • Shardinae Adams “TK Blockstar” (Fairmont)
  • Sarah Cordwell (Charleston)
  • Michael Farmer (Charleston)
  • Lucy Godwin (Beverly)
  • Allison Ibarra (Fayetteville)
  • Dural Miller (Charleston)

This year’s Beacon Awardees will be honored at an event on October 17th at the Clay Center’s Caperton Planetarium & Theater with a reception from 6-7 pm and an award presentation from 7-8 pm.

The One Foundation and Generation WV describe the awards:

The West Virginia Beacon Awards recognize, support, and connect young leaders between the ages of 18-40 who are working tirelessly with their communities to create lasting impact. Beacon Awards Winners are leaning in to existing challenges, digging into possible solutions and most importantly, turning their ideas into action. The award winners serve as beacons in their communities and across the state, reminding us that even one person’s dedicated positive actions can truly make a difference.

Read an article about the Beacon Awardees on the Charleston Gazette-Mail site »

RSVP for the event and read more about the awards on the Generation WV site »

Now Accepting Nominations – 2019 Spirit of Philanthropy Awards from Philanthropy WV

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2017 Spirit of Philanthropy Award Winners. Photo courtesy Philanthropy WV.
BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

Do you know of a remarkable program or project that has had a critical impact in WV; a star philanthropic volunteer; a WV corporate giving/foundation staff person; or a philanthropically-minded business who has made a significant difference in our state in the past two years?

If so, Philanthropy West Virginia is looking for your ideas. Through its programs and services, Philanthropy WV helps funders become more efficient, effective grantmakers.

Each year, they are give the Spirit of Philanthropy Awards to honor the people who are making a difference in this field.

In 2019, the team at Philanthropy West Virginia is adding the Corporate Responsibility Leader Spirit of Philanthropy Award to recognize a company who exemplifies and advances corporate giving through their annual giving, employees volunteerism, donation of in-kind services and products, and the impact their work has on their community and our state.

Awards will be presented in the following categories:

  1. The Volunteer Leadership Award honors an individual exhibiting an extraordinary commitment to philanthropy through their personal giving, their company’s philanthropy, engaging others to give, and/or serving as a board member of a philanthropic organization.
  2. The Staff Leadership Award honors a staff member (paid or volunteer) that demonstrates commitment and leadership in the field though creativity, leading others, and going that extra mile.
  3. The Critical Impact Award celebrates local grantmaking of any size and honors the organization whose grantmaking has demonstrated an enduring positive impact, sustainability, and philanthropic leadership.
  4. The Corporate Responsibility Award recognizes outstanding companies, of any size, who are actively donating, volunteering, and making a difference in local communities and the state of West Virginia.

The deadline for nominations is October 1, 2019.

For more information and to nominate, visit the Philanthropy WV website »

Congratulations to West Virginian Brandon Dennison on the national Heinz Award

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Brandon Dennison, from the 2019 Heinz Awards website
BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

Congratulations to Brandon Dennison, founder and CEO of Coalfield Development on this national award! The Heinz Awards celebrates the accomplishments and spirit of the late U.S. Senator John Heinz by recognizing the extraordinary contributions of individuals in the areas of greatest importance to him.

Brandon is being recognized this year with a Heinz Award in the Technology, the Economy, and Employment category.

Teresa Heinz, Chairman of the Heinz Family Foundation said, “Brandon has not stopped at simply identifying need and equipping individuals with employable skills. He has developed a model that harnesses the tremendous potential, talent and courage of Appalachia’s people while also creating new, sustainable jobs in emerging fields and addressing the social barriers that have hindered opportunity in an area that for decades powered the economic growth of our country. In presenting Brandon with this year’s Heinz Award, we are not only recognizing what has been achieved, we are also celebrating the bright future that is being created for the communities of Appalachia.”

Read more about this win on the Coalfield Development site »

Journal of Martinsburg: Town invests $27 million into improving quality of life

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Martinsburg as captured by the Journal of Martinsburg – find the photo on their Facebook page
BY BREANNA FRANCIS FOR THE JOURNAL OF MARTINSBURG

Among various projects in both utility and beautification, the City of Martinsburg said it has invested over $27 million back into the city in fiscal year 2019-20.

According to City Manager Mark Baldwin, with a total of $23,799,464 from reserve accounts, the general fund and the sales tax fund and an additional $3,338,626 in funds matched by the state, the total reinvestment into the city is $27,138,090.

Baldwin said this much reinvestment shows the city’s efforts to giving back to the community…

Read the full story on the Journal of Martinsburg site »

Is your work making a difference in southern WV? Apply for a Power of Performance Award

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Attendees at the 2018 Small Communities, BIG Solutions Conference
BY STEPHANIE TYREE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE HUB

The team behind the Small Communities, BIG Solutions Conference (register here!) is looking for nominations of communities, groups, organizations and individuals that are driving forward success in Southern West Virginia.

The selected nominees will be honored at the conference on November 18th with a Power of Performance Award.

The conference partners, including the Alliance for Economic Development in Southern West Virginia, Coalfield Development Corporation, and the WV Community Development Hub, are looking to highlight innovative and passionate projects throughout the event (see our story on last year’s conference). The event will shine a spotlight on professionals, community leaders, and experts and their unique perspectives on Southern West Virginia successes.

About the Award

Power of Performance honorees can either be an individual, employer, nonprofit, organization or institution that is doing something remarkable in Southern West Virginia. These honorees are truly power performers in Southern West Virginia. They are making positive things happen in their neighborhoods, communities, and across the state.

Thought-leaders with a strong grasp of these areas of work are encouraged to submit their success story on their preferred topic. The topics include:

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  • Putting People to Work: Are you involved in a project that is helping to put people to work? Share your story, whether it is through training, connecting workers with existing jobs or hiring workers for your new start up, we want to know how you are helping to connect potential employees with job opportunities. This conference wants to showcase successful workforce programs that are connecting the dots between employers and the workforce as well as employers who are hiring.
  • Revitalizing Communities: Are you working to help revitalize your community? Share your story, whether you are organizing a recycling program, building more housing, or implementing a community led project, we want to learn how you or your business or organization is helping to redevelop and grow your community.
  • Changing Lives: Are you or your organization helping West Virginians lead more productive and/or healthier lives? Whether it is through offering support services, unique educational opportunities, counseling or mentoring, we want hear from you. We are interested in learning more about your successful program that is helping to lift individuals out of poverty, giving individuals a second chance on being productive adults, and/or equipping West Virginians with vital training and resources.

The conference team is looking to highlight success stories within the following 21-county region: Boone, Cabell, Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Putnam, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne, Webster and Wyoming counties.

The selection committee will review the submissions and choose up to six projects to highlight during the conference. Last year’s awardees included the Community Transformation Project (Beckley); Ashland Scenic Campground (McDowell County); Fruits of Labor (Greenbrier County); WV Hive Network (Beckley); High Rocks Educational Corporation (Pocahontas County); and the Healthy Grandfamilies Project (Kanawha County).

To apply, fill out the nomination form by October 23, 2019. Click here to go to the form.

Important Notes
  • The deadline to apply is Wednesday, October 23, 2019.
  • All honorees will be notified via email or mail by November 4, 2019.
  • Self-nominations for this award are encouraged.
  • Filling out the nomination form does not commit you to any speaking role.
  • All honorees selected will receive an official invitation to the conference.
  • Honorees will have an opportunity to share their Southern West Virginia success story during the official conference program.
  • Honorees will be highlighted in conference materials.

Apply today – complete the nomination form »

Mountain Statesman: Chalk Walk event brings Grafton community together

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Image from Buffalo Flats Artists Association Facebook Page
BY MICHAELA FLOHR FOR THE MOUNTAIN STATESMAN

The annual Grafton Chalk Walk held by the Buffalo Flats Artists Association returned for its second year in downtown Grafton this past Saturday, filling Grafton’s sidewalks with colorful drawings. 

Buffalo Flats has Grafton High School students run the event every year under the guide of Breanna Collins. 

“It teaches them how to plan an event and gives them confidence in doing so. The seniors always pass it down to an underclassman to keep the event going so they are also teaching,” said Collins.

Read the full story on the Mountain Statesman site »

Charleston Gazette-Mail: Young West Virginian becomes new leader of local institution

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Nichole Greene (image from the Capitol Market Facebook page)
BY MARIA YOUNG FOR THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE-MAIL

It’s hard to imagine someone’s life coming full circle by the time they reach 28 years of age — but it’s fair to say, that’s exactly what’s happened for Nichole Greene, 2016’s Miss West Virginia USA and now the executive director for Charleston’s Capitol Market.

“I am born and raised in West Virginia. My family had a small business here for over 86 years, Save Supply Kitchen and Bath Company on the West Side,” which closed in 2012 after 83 years in operation, she said.

“And so I’ve been around small businesses and had this love of West Virginia my whole life.”

Still, she never planned to run a farmers market…

To read the full story, visit the Charleston Gazette-Mail site »

We’re collaborating with Generation WV to support WV communities in making change on the ground

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BY TAYLOR BENNETT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT POLICY COORDINATOR, THE HUB

We know that local policy changes can move the needle in a big way as we work to build stronger communities and economies. Often, though, it can be a challenge to know how to go about making that change happen.

We also know that young people have a huge role to play as we craft strong, vibrant communities and economies that work for everyone.

How do we make change in a way that will support creating attractive communities for young people? The Hub is teaming up with Generation WV on the Next Generation Communities Project to tackle these challenges in collaboration with West Virginian communities.

This project will support West Virginian teams as they identify the changes they want to make, build the relationships that they’ll need to succeed, and create a strategy that will help guide them through each step of the change-making process.

How does it work?

  1. Generation WV and The Hub are taking a look at research from across the country. Working with research partners including West Virginia Forward, we’re identifying themes from existing studies – from both in-state and across the country – to help us identify key community characteristics that drive the decisions that young people make about where to live, work, and build a community. Community characteristics could be things like jobs, community health, social activities, or arts and culture.
  2. We’ll bring these key community characteristics to participating community teams, where we’ll work out a strategy to get feedback from community members about which areas make the most sense to focus on.
  3. Then, we’ll work with the team to identify specific changes that can be made which will strengthen the area that the community identified. (For example, the community identifies that they wanted to focus on community health. A specific change that might be made could be for the municipal government to allocate space for a community garden.)
  4. Once the team has selected a specific change, we’ll work together to create a strategy and build the relationships to make that change happen. And when it does, we’ll celebrate our collective victory.

Right now, team members from Generation WV and The Hub are touring around the state, providing in-depth information to community teams who would like to participate, and working to identify the key community characteristics that teams will need to get started.

Are you interested in being a part of the Next Generation Communities Project? Connect with me, Taylor Bennett, at t.bennett@wvhub.org to get started.