Across the nation, more than 390,000 children rely on foster care. However, a shortage of licensed foster homes is creating a national crisis. While official foster care cases are carefully tracked, many informal examples of kinship care aren’t part of the data. For this Us & Them episode, we hear the experiences of those who’ve been part of the foster care system.
Pinch, West Virginia is home to about 3,500 people and the longest running community reunion in the country. Since 1902, the reunion has brought current residents together as well as many who moved away.
The founders of the reunion hoped to raise “the civic, religious and educational standards of the community.”
This year’s event, held August 10-11, featured pageant queens, a car show, music concerts and a parade. The reunion committee also provided Science Technology Engineering and Math, or STEM, activites. The reunion finished up on Sunday with a church service.
Joe Hoover said he’s been to about 30 Pinch reunions since 1956 when he was in the first grade.
“It means people getting together that maybe you haven’t seen in a long time,” he said.
Kaitlin Jordan grew up in Pinch. She said she hates to miss a parade.
“Everyone lines up on the road in their lawn chairs and sits around and waits and enjoys the show. We love the Pinch Reunion,” she said.
In recent years, attendance at the reunion has has waned, but Hoover is optimistic about the future.
“It’s maybe lost some of its luster over the past few years, but there’s some new people coming in, and I think they’re going to do a good job of getting some things turned around,” he said.
Across the nation, more than 390,000 children rely on foster care. However, a shortage of licensed foster homes is creating a national crisis. While official foster care cases are carefully tracked, many informal examples of kinship care aren’t part of the data. For this Us & Them episode, we hear the experiences of those who’ve been part of the foster care system.
Stock car racing’s roots run deep in Appalachia. Our twisty roads and dark hollers were home to moonshiners — and moonshine runners, who became known for their driving skills. And they became some of NASCAR’s first stars when it formed in 1948. But NASCAR’s oldest continuous racing team had nothing to do with moonshine.
WVPB's Matt Jackfert speaks with harper, composer and producer Maeve Gilchrist. They discuss her compositions, the Silkroad Ensemble and the group's upcoming performance.
For Sue and Stan Jennings, woodworking isn’t just a way to make a living, it’s a way of life. What started out as a passion for the craft was born out of necessity. Over the last 30 years, the Jennings have developed a thriving business making wood objects called treenware — small wooden kitchen utensils.