CHS-Parkersburg lost a good friend

Marv Davis, who was a strong supporter and encourager of the CHS-Parkersburg site, died this past week. Marv, who was 84, had grown up in Wirt and Wood County but had moved away for a long and distinguished career in accounting, and moved back, in the mid-2000's with his wife Roberta, to the Parkersburg area. As he was returning to the area, he had done some research and wanted to support a youth serving agency, and chose us. He supported the neighborhood work, the shelter, and had a particular interest in our plans to provide transitional living services for older youth. Marv and Roberta had been married over 60 years. We were saddened by the loss, but feel blessed to have known Marv and received his support these past few years.

First Music Event of the 2011 Americana series

Saturday, January 22, between 35-40 people attended a coffee house here at the Mid Town Family Resource Center to see Tommy Womack perform two sets of original music in his unique and entertaining style. Accompanied by Dan Seymour on acoustic bass, Tommy put on a great show for the audience. The sound and setting received accolades (thanks to the work of Missy Storey for the setting, and Steve Peck for the sound). Several people were new to the agency and the coffee house setting, so this helps get the word out about what we do; and how we tie enjoying live local music with fund raising and community awareness. Tommy is a touring musician based in Nashville.

Little Kanawha Collaborative meeting here

Friday, January 28th we hosted the monthly meeting of the Little Kanawha Collaborative here at our offices. This group which has been meeting for over 10 years is an interagency coalition which assesses the needs and dynamics in the community regarding children, youth, and families services. We have been the primary host of the group throughout its history, with recent changes to move the meetings around the 7 county region.

United Bank employees visit and offer to help CHS-Parkersburg

Shelley and Ashley met with some young leaders from United Bank here in Parkersburg on January 20th to discuss ways they could become involved in our work here at CHS-Parkersburg. We look for great things to come of this partnership!

Hats Off to Mentoring event

January is National Mentoring Month. Several staff were actively involved in planning a first time mentoring recognition event here in Parkersburg. Most notably, Ashley Way spearheaded the effort, with Missy Storey, Lisa Weaver, Lisa Doyle Parsons, and Shauna Kelly also participating in the recognition event. Several of our WE CAN mentors, and volunteers in several programs were honored. Organizers and participants all agreed this was a successful first time event.

Site Wide Staff Meeting

Tuesday, January 25th we held a site wide staff meeting. There were many helpful updates and introductions, and several items of news of general site interest. We also review the site strategic plan for 2011-2012, and the calendar of events for 2011. Barbara Fish, a CHS board member and local liaison for the board with the local advisory council and site, attended and participated very positively in the meeting. Barbara is really getting involved in the site and the agency. She also did a site visit on January 20th with Shelley. She also had a board orientation with Dennis Sutton that day.

Visitor from the Carrera Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention program

Shelia Reich visited us last week. Shelia is the program link for us with the Carrera Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention program, which we are replicating for our Teen Pregnancy Prevention grant program starting this summer. Shelia is very encouraging and experienced, both valuable traits in helping us get the program established.

Lots of Winter Weather to contend with!

January has seen lots of winter weather to contend with, for staff at CHS-Parkersburg. There have been many snow days and 2 hour delays; effecting the after school program, and staff with their own families. Meetings have been re-scheduled and traveling often "an adventure." As we turn the corner to February, we hope the Groundhog heartens us with news of an early spring!!!

January is National Mentoring Recognition Month

January is National Mentoring Month. Locally Ashley and Missy are actively leading efforts to have a local Mentoring awareness and recognition event. It will be at the Parkersburg city building, Thursday January 27th at 6:30 pm. Lots of advance information is available, so see Ashley at the CHS-Parkersburg office for information.

Site Wide Staff Meeting - January 25th

With the bustling hive that is our CHS-Parkersburg site, its a mammoth undertaking to get (most) of the staff together for a site wide staff meeting, which we try to do quarterly. These opportunities to share cross-program updates and information, to talk about whole-site communication issues and projects; review the yearlong calendar of events, and promote the site strategic plan, are very important. This month the meeting is Tuesday, January 25th at 10 am in Suite 3. The meeting will be followed by a potluck lunch for anyone available and interested.

VISTA project holding MLK Day event

Missy Storey has been working hard on a Martin Luther King Day community service event. Missy has taken our First Book project and gotten it revved up. This project, which is a national effort, gets books into the hands of children who otherwise might not have the opportunity to own books. Our local project will work with area Head Start's and some of our own programs to get the project promoted in the local community, and get some books out to children, youth and families.

Local Advisory Council kicks off 2011

Last Friday the Parkersburg Advisory Council kicked off its year with an organizing meeting. 2010 was reviewed and highlighted what all agreed was a successful year for the site in terms of services to children and families and community engagement. 2011 promises to be an equally exciting year for the site and advisory council. The advisory council is looking at holding a more deliberate retreat or planning session coming up in early 2011.

CHS-Parkersburg hosts first music coffee house of the year

Saturday, January 22nd, at 7 pm, the Mid Town Family Resource Center hosts Tommy Womack for a coffee house. Tommy is a Nashville based singer songwriter with a wildly entertaining body of music. He is funny; and provides keen observation of the human condition, and the culture and society of America. He has written books, been involved in a number of bands and collaborations with some of the most creative and inspired musicians in the Nashville scene. Tickets are $15; come out and enjoy a great evening of entertainment.

Numerous Staff attend local Public Policy Forum

CHS-Parkersburg was well represented at a recent public policy forum in Wood County. Is it Good for Children? was the theme. Promoted by Prevent Child Abuse West Virginia, these forums held around the state just prior to the legislative session intended communities to engage their legislators in awareness efforts around children's issues. The local forum focused on the multi-year "service array" community needs assessment process, and the findings locally. Many of the services provided by CHS-Parkersburg were among those highlighted as benefiting local children and families and worthy of additional support.

1800 volunteer hours in 2010 for CHS-Parkersburg

Ashley Way, who is our WE CAN volunteer coordinator, is also our comprehensive coordinator of all-things volunteering, here at the CHS-Parkersburg site. She reports a total of 1800 volunteer hours in 2010 at our site. This represents an impressive array of efforts by community supporters in a wide variety of capacities. We thank all those who contributed to this total, and their individual efforts to further the mission of the agency, and help many area children and families.

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