VISTA Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Federal AmeriCorps Office in W.Va. to Close as Part of Consolidation Plan

The CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service (or CNCS) announced a comprehensive plan to consolidate 46 state offices into eight regional offices in June 2018, effectively closing the CNCS federal office in West Virginia. If enacted, West Virginia’s Senior Corps and AmeriCorps VISTA programs will be supervised by staffers located in an office in Philadelphia.

The CNCS website indicates the plan is part of an effort to reduce overhead costs and make work more sustainable.

The consolidation would not, however, affect operations or staffing for AmeriCorps’ state-run program, Volunteer West Virginia, which oversees AmeriCorps members, but not VISTA or Senior Corps, according to Volunteer West Virginia executive director Heather Foster.

West Virginia U.S. senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito sent a letter to the CNCS requesting more information. In the letter, lawmakers expressed concerns about trading overhead costs for personal connections which “have been the foundation for success.”

In 2018, West Virginia was announced as the leading state per capita to produce AmeriCorps members.

The CNCS website says the agency plans to transition its consolidation plan of national programs plan between September 2019 and June 2020.

W.Va. Veteran & Former Coal Miner Receives President’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Volunteerism

A former coal miner and veteran from West Virginia has been honored with the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award in volunteerism. Wayne McDonald has volunteered over 9,000 hours, over five years, helping fellow veterans through AmeriCorps & VISTA.

McDonald is an Army veteran who served during the first Gulf War. He was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when he returned to West Virginia. The local Ceterans center in Logan County actually helped him find medical care. Later, they approached him about joining AmeriCorps, through their VetCorps Program.

“At first I said no, because I was afraid. I’ve never done anything like this. But they talked me into it,” McDonald told West Virginia Public Broadcasting back in 2015.

Now, three years later, he’s still serving as an AmeriCorps volunteer at the Henlawson Veterans Center in Logan County. AmeriCorps members receive a living stipend and an education award for their service.

This is the first time a West Virginian has received the President’s Service Award.

The Front Porch: Outsiders in Appalachia

Jesse and Marisha Camp were driving through McDowell County when they were confronted by angry residents who believed they were taking photos of their children.

No one was injured, but Marisha Camp recorded the tense encounter and shared it with photographer Roger May. It’s become a national story, especially among photographers. What can explain a group of people reacting so negatively to someone taking a few pictures?

There’s a bigger context for this incident. Appalachia has a long and troubled history with outsiders. And more specifically, some of those outsiders with cameras have portrayed residents as depraved and freakish.

On The Front Porch this week, we tackle the third rail of Appalachian culture: outsiders, and how we deal with them. Daily Mail columnist Laurie Lin and Rick Wilson of the American Friends Service Committee bravely delve into this tough topic with host Scott Finn.

An edited version of “The Front Porch” airs Fridays at 4:50 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s radio network, and the full version is available at wvpublic.org and as a podcast as well.

Share your opinions with us about these issues, and let us know what you’d like us to discuss in the future. Send a tweet to @radiofinn or @wvpublicnews, or e-mail Scott at sfinn @ wvpublic.org