Wild, Wonderful and Healthy Summers County has raised $14,500 to create community space in Hinton.
The Wild, Wonderful and Healthy Summers County Coalition announced that it has raised $14,500 to be used to reclaim a vacant lot in Hinton by creating a community space for a children’s playground and garden. The coalition is part of a community wide effort, organized by the Summers County Huddle, to cultivate a culture of health in the county, as well as encourage conditions that will attract small businesses.
A community-needs survey, conducted by volunteers with Wild, Wonderful and Healthy Summers County, identified the lack of safe and affordable housing and the number of dilapidated buildings as a significant concern.
One small business owner noted “bad buildings are a sign of decay and have a really negative impact on the future of our town.”
The coalition continues to work with the Hinton City Council to identify buildings that are either in need of repair or demolition because they represent a significant hazard to the health and safety of county residents and have a detrimental effect on property values.
A site for the community space has not yet been identified though the coalition is exploring possibilities, noting that the site should be centrally located, accessible, and large enough to accommodate playground equipment.
Patti Crawford, a Wild, Wonderful and Healthy Summers County Core Team member, noted “This is an opportunity to turn an eyesore into a community asset.”
Wild, Wonderful, and Healthy Summers County is part of the Wild, Wonderful and Healthy West Virginia initiative led by the Center for Rural Health Development, Inc. Wild, Wonderful and Healthy West Virginia works to engage residents and leaders in communities throughout the state to create a culture of health in their communities that will also support economic prosperity.
“By working with community leaders to lead local initiatives that address health inequities through the lens of the social determinants of health, West Virginia over time will be able to move the needle on health outcomes,” said Sharon Lansdale, president/CEO of the Center for Rural Health Development.
With $6,000 in matching funding provided through the Community Health Infrastructure Investment Pilot Fund operated by the center, Wild, Wonderful and Healthy Summers County was able to match funding provided by the Hinton City Council and the Summers County Commission, which have each allocated $3,000 to the project. The coalition also wanted to thank the Hinton Area Foundation for its grant of $1,500 through its Making a Difference program. In addition, a county resident donated $1,000. The Appalachian South Folklife Center has agreed to provide the labor through its work camps.
Members of the coalition will be meeting with representatives of each of these entities to celebrate and thank them for their commitment to a Wild, Wonderful and Healthy Summers County. The meeting will be Nov. 18 at 4 p.m. on Zoom and residents of the county are invited to participate. For more details about the meeting, including the Zoom link, contact shalomtazewell@frontier.com or find it on the Huddle Facebook page.
