A new online project showcases stories of community development throughout West Virginia. The Our Mountain State website features audio visual stories of home grown businesses, organizations, and programs that are making a difference in their communities. The project is a collaborative initiative of the WV Community Development Hub, WV Prevention Resource Center and Dream Catcher Creative.
“Our Mountain State was developed to draw attention to local efforts to bring about community change,” said Beth Campbell of the WV Prevention Resource Center. “Improving the well-being of a community happens through many venues including new businesses, art and cultural projects, volunteer opportunities, and health and wellness programs.”
“Too often, we focus on what is going wrong in our state,” said Kent Spellman, Executive Director of the WV Community Development Hub. “Our Mountain State archives positive stories from across West Virginia, and we hope it will encourage other communities to take action and tell their stories as well.”
Our Mountain State currently profiles initiatives in the following communities:
•Big Ugly (Lincoln Co.): Step by Step Organization
•Charleston (Kanawha Co): Pedaler’s Paradise & Spokes for Folks
•Dunbar (Kanawha Co.): Kanawha Institute for Social Research & Action
•Fayetteville (Fayette Co.): Fayette County Farmers Market & Gourmet on the Gorge Catering
•Huntington (Cabell Co.): Adam Johnson Memorial Run / Huntington Community Gardens / Gallery 842 / Trees for Tomorrow Volunteer Group
•Kermit (Mingo Co.): ABLE Families Non-Profit Organization
•Point Pleasant (Mason Co.): Main Street
•Princeton (Mercer Co.): RiffRaff Arts Collective
•Rand (Kanawha Co.): Rand Caring Center
•Rock Cave (Upshur Co.): Fish Hawk Acres
•Shinnston (Harrison Co.): Bocce Pavilion
•Statewide: College Summit West Virginia
Additional projects and communities will be chronicled in the future. Ideas for stories may be submitted to contact@ourmountainstate.org. Our Mountain State has been developed with federal funds from a Projects of Regional and National Significance Grant from the U.S. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.
Our Mountain State is the topic of the current episode of Prevention West Virginia, which airs this month through mid-April on several cable channels including Suddenlink Channel 17 (Thursdays at 10:30 am, 4:30 pm, and 10:30 pm; Fridays at 4:30 am; and Saturdays at 7:30 pm).
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