What Does a VISTA Look Like? Meet Our 5 VISTA Freshman for 2015…

This month The Hub welcomed five new VISTA into our growing family of grassroots champions doing great work in West Virginia!

The five new VISTA all got to meet each other during their “Pre-Service Orientation (that’s PSO in VISTA lingo) in Orlando. Yep, Orlando! Nice.

While training they got to enjoy sunny 80+ degree weather. But this was also an opportunity for VISTA from all over the country to form valuable relationships, and share projects, problems and celebrate achievements.

Now that they all know each other, we’d like to take a moment to introduce them to you!

Grafton’s Breanna Collins will put her communications and organizational training to work helping her home town with the continued development of Turn This Town Around and All Aboard Grafton projects. It’s the perfect fit for a passionate young West Virginian who says “I have always wanted to be a part of what goes on in our beautiful little town, and to help make our town more desireable for those who live here, those who have moved away and wish to return home, those who might want to visit, and the children who live here now.”

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A graduate of the West Virginia University at Parkersburg, Ripley’s Joshua Donohew will spend the next year in his home community working on Turn This Town Around projects as their dedicated VISTA. “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” says Joshua, wisely. “I aim to amplify the change that I know is possible in this area by putting into practice the skills and knowledge I’ve gained over the course of my life in West Virginia so far.”

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Not all VISTA are young kids just out of school. Our Turn This Town Around VISTA in Whitesville, Marsha Shonk of Raleigh County, is a terrific demonstration of the great value that people with diverse life and professional experiences can bring to communities through the VISTA program. Since beginning her professional life in the 1980s, Marsha has been a business-owner, care provider, and has worked in the tourism industry. “I want to see people from all the communities around Whitesville get involved in helping this town come back,” she says. “I want, and need, to see positive changes, and I’m motivated to help make these changes happen.”

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The VISTA program provides a compelling reason for passionate and talented people from all over America to come to West Virginia and make a difference. One such person is Massachusetts native Nicole Marrocco, whose VISTA placement with The Hub will involve coordinating a number of exciting new initiatives to address abandoned and dilapidated buildings across the state. “Coming from the Industrial Revolution-era city of Lowell, I have seen firsthand the transformative role that community partnerships can play in the revitalization of an area. My passion for revitalization led me to West Virginia, where I want to be an active participant in the community revitalization work happening here.”

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Doris Pauley of West Union says she “always feels great joy when giving to people,” and her VISTA placement with the Opportunity Council in Doddridge County will provide her with a very tangible gift to give people as she assists with job training and continuing the council’s GED program. With a background in education, it’s a task well suited to her. “I wanted to be a VISTA because I really enjoy helping others help themselves.”

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Could this be you? Do you have a passion for making a real difference to the people of West Virginia? Or, perhaps you are looking to advance your career?

We can help. Email me at l.henry@wvhub.org, and I’ll send you some information about current VISTA opportunities in West Virginia.