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Who do you know that deserves the spotlight? Power of Performance Awards are back!

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2019 Power of Performance award recipients – See all past awardees

The Alliance for Economic Development of Southern West Virginia, West Virginia Community Development Hub and Coalfield Development are teaming up once again to host the Third Annual Small Communities, BIG Solutions Conference on November 16-20, 2020. This year’s conference will be held virtually. This event allows professionals, community leaders, and experts to share their unique views on West Virginia successes.

Save the date and learn more about this year’s conference »

The conference team is looking for nominations for the 2021 Power of Performance Awards. The deadline for nominations is September 1, 2020.

These awards are aimed to honor individuals, organizations, institutions and community leaders that are making positive things happen in their neighborhoods, communities and across the state. These honorees are truly power performers in southern West Virginia and those selected will be honored at our conference.

Learn more about the Power of Performance Awards + see past awardees »
Nominate someone for a Power of Performance Award »

Individuals who are leaders in the following categories are encouraged to submit their southern West Virginia success story: Putting People to Work; Revitalizing Communities; or, Changing Lives.

We also have a new student track #WVSolutions Seekers – Rising Leader in WV. This is a new category added to this year’s conference for students in high school, career skills training or college. We are thrilled to highlight those students who have a passion for West Virginia, have a unique idea or project and show qualities of a rising leader in the Mountain State.

The goal is 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.

Some important things to keep in mind:

  • Self–nominations for this award are encouraged.
  • 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 conference program.

Learn more about the Power of Performance Awards + see past awardees »
Nominate someone for a Power of Performance Award »

The Hub receives Change Maker Award from The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation

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We are honored to be selected for The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation’s 2020 Change Maker Award in the community-economic development priority area.

In the annual State of the Foundation address, Dr. Michelle Foster, President and CEO of The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation, shared that these awards are given to “nonprofit partners who have exemplified innovation, resilience, and collaborative spirit.” We are joined by fellow awardees Kanawha County Schools in the health priority area and EnAct, Inc. in the education priority area.

Watch Dr. Foster’s speech, videos featuring each of the Change Maker awardee organizations, and more on the foundation’s website.

The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation is an instrumental supporter of The Hub’s programming, helping us to create transformational impacts in partnership with community teams based in towns across the Kanawha Valley.

The team at The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation captured the video above of The Hub’s Executive Leadership Team, including Executive Director Stephanie Tyree, Director of Community Engagement Amanda Workman-Scott, and Director of Strategic Network Communications Emma Pepper, speaking more about The Hub’s model and our work in partnership with the foundation.

Stephanie shared in her acceptance speech for the award, “It is an honor to be recognized as a Change Maker organization by The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation. It matters to us, especially in this time, to have The Hub recognized in this way. It affirms the work we have been doing for the last 10 years and recommits us to continue that work for the next 10 years. Thank you.”

Tool: Create a Community Hashtag Campaign to Spotlight Changemakers

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Facebook Posts from The Hub’s #BetheChangeWV campaign – find examples below!
BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

Last year, we put the spotlight on 36 West Virginians who are invested in making a difference in our state’s communities through a social media hashtag campaign called #BetheChangeWV, part of our #NewStoryWV project. This is an impactful tool that we built to help lift up the voices of residents in West Virginia, and we want this tool to be in your hands too.

Now, we’re sharing 3 steps to kickstart a #BetheChangeWV campaign in your own community.

This kind of campaign can help you reach goals such as:

  • Increase community pride and raise hope
  • Shine a spotlight on the people doing good in your community, such as small business owners, community leaders, volunteers, and others
  • Attract new people online to volunteer for the work and projects you’re doing in the real world
  • Generate new and different types of posts for your social media accounts

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Examples! Search #BetheChangeWV on Facebook and Instagram to see more.

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When you’re sharing on social media, be sure to include the hashtags #BetheChangeWV and #NewStoryWV to join in on the statewide collaborative conversation about a new story for West Virginia. (Find more details on using hashtags at the bottom of this post!)

If you have a question about how to create a campaign like this in your community, please email me at e.pepper@wvhub.org. 

Step 1: Decide the type of people that you are interested in spotlighting.

Pick a group of people to highlight who share a common interest that corresponds to a goal you have or a challenge you are facing in your community.

Some examples to consider:

  • Are you interested in bringing more residents and tourists to your downtown? Considering spotlighting the business owners and people who are already there.
  • Are you looking to show off your area’s natural beauty and increase tourism? Consider spotlighting the people who are visiting those locations or have a tie to them.
  • Do you need more volunteers? Consider spotlighting the volunteers – past and present – who have been a part of your team’s work.
  • Are you interested in raising hope and building community pride? Consider the people in your community that make you hopeful and proud about living there. Think about the people who are giving back to your community. Maybe it’s the superstar volunteers who are always showing up for every event and project. Maybe it’s the small business owners who are a central part of your community’s fabric. Maybe it’s local artists, teachers, or leaders at local service organizations. Maybe it’s all of the above!

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More examples! Search #BetheChangeWV on Facebook and Instagram to see more.

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Step 2: Find those people. Capture a quote and a photo.

Here is a checklist of ideas to help you accomplish Step 2 – but if you have an idea for a different path, that’s great too. Mix it up to do what’s best for your community and goals.

  • Make a list of the people that you want to feature. Look back to Step 1 and make a list of all the people that fit this description in your community. Be mindful of selecting a diverse list of people. You’ll be lifting up members of your community through this campaign, and it’s important that the residents who are viewing the campaign see people like themselves represented.
  • Decide who will be capturing the quotes and photos and how you will do it. The more people you can get involved in gathering quotes and photos, the better, although at The Hub, we were able to do this with 1 person capturing the quotes and photos. You don’t need a big group to make this work happen. Make a determination about if you want to try to take your own photos, or if you want to ask people to submit photos of themselves. Taking your own photos means that you will have consistent visuals throughout your campaign, which is a nice outcome, but not necessary for success.
  • Decide 1 question to ask each person you want to feature. This question will give you the quote that you need to accompany the photo. Come up with a “Why” question for the people you want to feature. Some examples are: Why do you believe making a difference in our community is important? Why do you like visiting this (location, business, etc.) in our community? Why are you choosing to be a business owner in our community? Why do you shop locally?
  • Find the people you want to feature. Reach out to them by phone, email, or social media; or find them while you’re out and about in the community.
  • Ask the person you are featuring your 1 question and write down what they say. If the person you are featuring is having trouble answering the question, ask them to start their response by saying, “Because I believe…”
  • Take their photo or ask them to send a photo to you.
  • Bonus: Create an option to participate using video. Videos can help elevate the connection that’s created between the person who is viewing the video and the person you want to spotlight – and they can help you to get more likes and shares on social media too. Check out the work that’s happening with the West Virginia Municipal League and Mountain Craft Productions for their #TakingCareofBusinesses campaign for an example of this in action (and join in!).
Step 3: Post to social media!

Decide the best place to share these photos online. Pick 1-2 places on social media that will be the “home base” for all of the posts in your campaign.

Here are some ideas to consider:

  • Facebook Pages: Think of a community group’s page, local nonprofits, tourism groups, and others who may have a page that aligns with your vision.
  • Facebook Groups: Think of local Facebook Groups with a similar vision to yours.
  • Instagram Business Pages: Think of local businesses or groups that may have an Instagram account.
  • Personal Facebook and Instagram Accounts: Use the Facebook or Instagram accounts from the individual people on your team, and/or extend the ask to others in the community to include the posts on their accounts.
Don’t forget to include hashtags when you’re posting on social media.

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One more example! Search #BetheChangeWV on Facebook and Instagram to see more.


West Virginians use Facebook to battle food insecurity, build community

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BY ZACHARY RISSMAN, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM AMERICORPS VISTA, THE HUB

In times of crisis, we are defined by how we come together to respond to the challenges that we face.

On Friday, March 13th, Governor Jim Justice announced that all schools would be temporarily closed. While critical to slowing the spread of the coronavirus, this decision also put one huge question on the table:

How can we ensure that students who rely on school meals will not go hungry? One group of community organizers sprang into action.

On that same day, Jenny Anderson with Our Future WV and Liz Brunello with the American Friends Service Committee dove into this question head first, as Jenny Anderson says, “knowing there would be a great need to feed kids. Not even thinking twice about logistics or a system and only the need.”

Their first move was creating a Facebook Group called “WV Food ER 2020” designed to support families in this time of crisis.

Find WV Food ER 2020 on Facebook »

Jenny said that the Facebook Group is designed to organize resources and tools, but also to better prepare for future crises.

“The main goal and objective of the Facebook group is to collect state-run and community resources and tools that families and individuals can use during this stressful time while COVID-19 is a threat and as we do this, create a best tool and practice kit for the future in case we have another crisis.”

Beyond sharing information and creating toolkits, the Facebook Group also directly connects volunteers with families in need. “We have a needs form families or individuals can fill out,” Jenny said, “and we use our volunteer lists and connect to other resources to find volunteers to help. We are also organizing volunteers to help organizations and businesses to prep food, pick up or drop off supplies and food to families or individuals using safety precautions for themselves and others. We do not connect volunteers directly to transport people or recommend for childcare, but connect them to organizations that do service those needs to keep folks safe.”

They also have compiled a donation list from families and individuals who have filled out the needs survey for people who want to contribute and are collecting donations to distribute to families. 

The work of Jenny and Liz and the Facebook Group they created reflects a needed grassroots approach to addressing this crisis. In these times of uncertainty and fear, coming together as a community is our best hope at getting through this together.

Thank you Jenny, Liz, and the many volunteers who are contributing their time, energy, and money to ensure that our most vulnerable are cared for. We deeply appreciate you all. 

Find WV Food ER 2020 on Facebook »

West Virginians are making sure kids feel supported

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Packing up food at Welch Elementary School
BY JENNY TOTTEN, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR, THE HUB

West Virginia has always been a state full of individuals leading from within, and from the ground up. The current challenges facing our state are being met with creative and community-led solutions, especially from the individuals and groups that are working to support the youngest West Virginians in our communities.

WVU Extension and Snap-Ed are working to get hands-on kits into students’ hands for at-home experiential learning. With March’s food of the month being microgreens, and in-person meetings and schools canceled, one WVU Extension office, in particular, got to work to find a way to still provide high-quality programming to its students. Tracey Valach, a health educator for Randolph and Pocahontas Counties, describes the microgreen kits as everything a child would need to try growing their own microgreens- including soil and an observation journal!

Additionally, their office is also distributing STEM kits, which similarly include everything that the family would need to conduct a small science or engineering challenge, such as a pom-pom catapult design challenge. The kits are being distributed through food distribution channels in select counties. 

McDowell County Schools has been working around the clock to reach its students in a very remote, technology strapped part of the state. Cafeteria, bus drivers, and support staff are being leant a hand from teachers as well as central staff and board members to assemble and deliver meals throughout the county, ensuring that those who utilize the school to meet basic needs are still being nourished.

Teachers are reaching their students in every way possible; from fun Tik Tok video contests to take home packets for those with little to no internet access, the learning continues. Additionally, educators are keeping structured office hours and responding to question requests over the phone, on Facebook, and through text message and email. To keep spirits up, Welch Elementary School is conducting its own virtual Spirit Week, where students can dress up in their pajamas, as their favorite superhero, or wear their favorite team’s jersey depending on what day it is and send the picture to a member of the staff, who then posts it on the school page for all to see.

This is working to build a sense of community so that students feel connected and supported during this stressful time for all West Virginians.

Hello, Jenny

Grafton couple opens their hearts – and their property – to the community

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Tom and Donna Hart (left) with their family
BY ARIN SHATTO, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AMERICORPS VISTA, THE HUB

Tom and Donna Hart, small business owners and community leaders based in Grafton, WV, recently had to temporarily close their downtown coffee shop, Espresso Yourself.

“As a mom and pop shop, we really have to consider our own personal safety as well. If one of us goes down, we would really be in trouble,” Tom shared.

But the duo didn’t allow circumstances to stop them from opening their hearts to their fellow neighbors. Tom and Donna wanted to offer folks in their community a space to cope, feel better about this constantly-evolving situation, get stronger, and escape the craziness for a while. They decided to open up their 95-acre property to their neighbors.

On the Espresso Yourself Facebook Page, Tom and Donna shared:

“We remain committed to serving our community in whatever way we can. With this in mind, we are offering free use of our outdoor facilities at Hartland Lake Marie, 35 Lake Marie Drive, for catch and release fishing, hiking and hanging about in the great outdoors. While occupying indoor spaces lends itself to the spread of the virus, fresh air, sunshine (hopefully), and exercise will help to combat it…”

Tom said, “In times like these, we need to help one another and not be selfish. This situation will pass in time. Let’s all be better for the experience.”

He also stressed the importance of strategizing to support existing small businesses in your community for the future, sharing, “Most small businesses are going to need added community and governmental support moving forward. We need to do everything possible to keep the ones we have and start some new ones.”

Although you can’t purchase a sweet latte or a classic pepperoni roll from Tom and Donna to support their business right now, you can visit them remotely on the Espresso Yourself Coffee Shop Facebook page, and, if you’re in the area, take an outdoor stroll through Hartland Lake Marie. Find Hartland Lake Marie on Facebook.

In the words of Tom and Donna: “Be kind. Be generous. Make the world a better place.”


WV Explorer: Trail group changes name to Mountain State Trail Alliance

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From the Mountain State Trail Alliance Facebook Page
BY DAVID SIBRAY FOR WV EXPLORER

Four years after its founding, the New River Gorge Trail Alliance has decided to change its name to the Mountain State Trail Alliance to reflect the counties involved in the organization, according to organization president Bill Wells.

“As the trail alliance expanded over the last few years, we realized that we had outgrown our original footprint in the New River Gorge region,” Wells explained.

“While we will always have deep roots in the New River Gorge, the new name of Mountain State Trail Alliance better reflects our new county partners in Webster, Kanawha, and other southern West Virginia counties.”

Since its founding in 2016, the organization has received more than $2 million in grants toward its mission of building and supporting a regional trail network in southern West Virginia…

Read the full story on the WV Explorer site »

WBOY: Clarksburg volunteer gives back to community for more than 25 years

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Dorian James pictured at a recent event hosted in partnership between the WV Black Heritage Festival and Monticello Blueprint Communities team to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Read the story »
BY BRI CLARK FOR WBOY

Today and every day our WBOY family is grateful for the sacrifices our veterans have made.  In this month’s celebrating volunteers, we are thanking Dorian James.  

Dorian James has been a staple in the community of Clarksburg for more than two decades. Over the past 27 years, James has been a part of the annual Black Heritage Festival that takes place in Downtown Clarksburg.

Although the festival only takes place for three days during the month of September, the work does not stop there. Outreach efforts continue throughout the year at the Kelly Miller Community Center.

“Throughout the year, the festival is doing things in the community that support and encourage people doing things. Getting engaged, being involved. That’s pretty much one of the biggest reasons why I like doing what I’m doing through the group,” said James…

Read the full story + see the video on the WBOY site »

McDowell County paper is now online – “Our side of the story matters”

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The Welch News Team
BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

Some people say things will never change. Some people say it’s not worth dreaming because the challenges are too great. 

And, you know, some people just get it plain wrong. This is often the case when it comes to understanding the McDowell County community, where it’s common that the stories we hear about living and working there miss the mark by a mile or more.

It was back in 2018 when we heard that the nearly-100-year-old community institution The Welch News would shutter its doors forever, and then, in one of the greatest West Virginia comeback stories that we’ve witnessed in some time, just days later a local member of the newsroom said that she was stepping up to purchase the paper. Melissa Nester, better known as Missy, became The Welch News publisher. Missy attributes her courage in stepping forward to the support of her teammates in the newsroom and the many members of the McDowell County community who came forward to share that the paper needed to be saved.

The comeback story continued as The Welch News team worked together to bring this guiding star for the community back from the brink.

The team recently made their next giant leap. The Welch News is now online – https://www.welchnews.com/ – with 100 new subscribers and 1000 new Facebook followers in their first 10 days. 

“This has been a dream that we have had for many years, but we were not allowed to have any online presence [under the previous owners]. Once we took over control of the paper, we wanted to offer our community an online resource. This is a change for the future that we need to make, and that the residents of this community deserve to have,” said Missy.

“Historically, we’ve felt like our community’s voice wasn’t heard. More than anything, this shows that our side of the story matters,” said Derek Tyson, editor for The Welch News.

Read it in their words – see Derek Tyson’s story on taking The Welch News online »

Since 2018, the team at The Welch News has been working overtime to address challenges, including restructuring their business practices and tending to the historic building that houses their offices and printing press. 

“As soon as I acquired the paper, I threw up the white flag,” said Missy.

Local residents, family members, state and local groups, and others came together to help support the paper through this transition. One of those people was Tyler Channell of the WVU Reed College of Media. Tyler went on to be a driving force in supporting the team in taking their paper online.

“We cannot praise Tyler enough,” said Missy. “He has been an amazing resource. The days where I’m saying that’s too much to handle, he encourages us to get us to the next level. He pushed us to get to the place where we can operate this website ourselves.”

Along with this push to take their paper online, The Welch News team is putting new energy into their Facebook presence. During recent floods, the team was offering up-to-the-minute updates, including using Facebook Live in locations throughout the area to report on what was happening.

It’s this kind of coverage, captured by storytellers who are on the ground shoulder-to-shoulder with residents, that makes local journalism an essential part of the well-being of any community.

What’s next for The Welch News team? Derek shared that they are working on getting even more deeply engaged in what’s happening in McDowell County.

Missy said, “Community members are waiting on us, and we don’t want to disappoint our communities. The website is a driving force for us. We want to let the world know how many great things are going on here, and the renewed sense of hope that we feel in McDowell County. It’s our job to tell the wonderful stories that come out of here. We want to commend the people of our home, and we want everyone to know how wonderful they are. Now we have a new vehicle to do that.”

Read The Welch News online, follow them on Facebook, and subscribe to their paper.


ART26201 is capturing community project “small wins” in a creative way

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ART26201 Publication – Download a copy »
BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

The ART26201 initiative kicked off in Buckhannon in 2015 when a group of community members recognized that with a greater focus on creative placemaking in their town, they would be better positioned to keep and attract new residents – especially young people and creatives like visual and performing artists. The presence and contributions of both young people and creatives can be vital to sparking the momentum that is needed to build community and drive economic growth for small towns. 

The all-volunteer, community-run nonprofit group operates with about a dozen active members. Their team began issuing an annual 4-page print publication last year that has become a critical tool in raising funds to sustain their work as well as in increasing visibility for their projects and key accomplishments.

Through this publication, the team at ART26201 is able to show how a series of “small wins” can accumulate to create a significant positive impact on their community.

Download a copy of this year’s ART26201 publication » 

In their latest issue, there are stories about public art projects, special events like a block party and a young filmmakers camp, recognition for donations received, and others. 

For the team at ART26201, their flagship project is the Art in Public Places Program. The group started by identifying 50 sites in their community that would be good locations to place public art projects. They work each year to chip away at this list – adding new projects as they are able to develop concepts, and then identify and secure the funds to complete them. The feature story in their publication this year is about a series of wildlife murals located in the Traders Alley Arts District in downtown Buckhannon that were designed by the renowned, native West Virginian artist Charley Harper. 

Spectators gather at the unveiling of the latest works for the Art in Public Places Program, four Charley Harper Murals, on October 25, 2019. Photo by Brian Bergstrom.

The annual publication is included as part of a targeted mailing that is sent out to those who have donated to ART26201 in the past, and it is also distributed to small businesses in high traffic areas in Buckhannon so that visitors and residents alike can find it. 

Buckhannon resident and ART26201 board member Bryson VanNostrand shared that the publication helps to increase the sense of professionalism for the organization’s work and assists with laying the groundwork for requests for donations and support for new projects.

About the ART26201 initiative, Bryson says, “We are intentionally focusing on our message to our kids, and are using the arts to project a colorful, progressive, and welcoming community image to them. Communities across West Virginia suffer from the exodus of its youth to more metropolitan communities, and we are actively trying to convince young people that choosing to stay in Buckhannon after graduation is a viable option. We’re seeing proof of headway with these public art projects as we find young people taking selfies in front of the artworks almost on a daily basis. We’re even seeing wedding, engagement, and baby shower portraits taken in the arts district. We want art to be part of our community’s daily conversation, and it’s rewarding to see how the public artworks are attracting folks organically.”

To find out more about ART26201, visit their website at www.ART26201.com.