Helping Pets, Helping People
By Barbara Grigg Given limited resources and the exponential nature of unfettered animal reproduction, West Virginia taxpayers currently spend about $10 million every year on animal control. According to Dana Johnson, manager of the Monongalia County Canine Adoption Center (MCCAC), of the 50,000 dogs and cats that entered West Virginia county shelters in 2015-2016, 40 […]
Lost & Found: Chatting with Rajeev about India
By Katie Allie These are my stories from the road and hard-won guidance from a thoughtful traveler. If I’m making you curious about getting lost and finding the good stuff in this great big world we all share, then I’m doing something right. “This is indeed India! The land of dreams and romance, of fabulous […]
Volunteer, Engage, Impact
By Jacob Hayhurst In 1994, Dr. Ruthellen Phillips and Dr. Belle Zars designed a program to address three clearly identified needs of children: summer learning opportunities, adequate nutrition during summer months and safe and secure environments. The pair of doctors, who were working for the West Virginia University Extension Service, broke ground by piloting a […]
Camp Brookside Environmental Education Center: A Hub of Activity in Summers County
Angela Allison Last May marked the opening of the newly restored Camp Brookside Environmental Education Center. This 32-acre island within the New River Gorge National River once provided a summer retreat for the children of Union Carbide’s Alloy plant. From 1946-1993, company employees sent their children to Camp Brookside, where they spent their summers learning […]
Loving Daniel: West Virginia Families Struggle with Infant Loss
By Alicia Elkin Nicole Dice and her husband were nervous and excited at the thought of bringing their son into the world. However, 20 weeks into the pregnancy, their happiness turned to devastation. “We found out he had Type 2 thanatophoric dysplasia and would likely not survive to birth,” says Dice, president and co-founder of […]
West Virginia AgrAbility: Making Agriculture Accessible to All
By Matt Browning According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), more than 200,000 farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers acquire occupational injuries each year that limit their ability to perform essential work tasks. The West Virginia AgrAbility program exists to assist these farmers and their family members with education and resources, ensuring our state’s farmers […]