BLUEFIELD, W. Va. -April is Global Volunteer Month. To coincide with this, Hinton held its first-ever “Volunteer Expo” to connect people with organizations helping the local community.
This event came about after Hinton was selected to be a location for the West Virginia Community Development Hub’s “Accelerate Program.” To promote more volunteerism in the Summers County community, the program’s members came up with the idea to hold the expo.
They invited more than 35 organizations which work throughout Summers County and beyond, through environmental protection, historic preservation, animal activism, and more. You can find a full list of the participating organizations on the City of Hinton’s Facebook page here.
We spoke to an organizer from the Accelerate Program as well as a volunteer with one of the organizations set up here who both say there’s a vital need for volunteers right now.
“We need people to get involved… There’s always the same people doing all the work; we need more people to make our community better and to continue the revitalization that’s happening in Hinton,” says Tina Allen, grants compliance manager for WV Community Development Hub, grants administrator for the City of Hinton, and team member of the Hinton Accelerate Team.
“Volunteers are crucial. The amount of labor when we did in community surveys, pounding the pavement, talking to people about issues that affect their lives, you need volunteers for that. One person can’t do it…” says Patti Crawford, a volunteer with Wild, Wonderful, & Healthy Summers County.
Crawford and Allen encourage people to consider volunteering in the community and both say to find a cause you’re passionate about, with a variety of organizations available for you to help.
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