Community Articles

It began with a quilt. A little girl sitting on one on her bed hearing a story from her father about a little slave boy who was given one. The little girl was Fanny Crawford. The little boy was her great-great-grandfather, Henry. “When he was sold his mother gave him…

There is nothing easy about standing in a funeral home. Grief is an overwhelming burden that affects everyone differently. Finding the right words to say as a funeral attendee can feel daunting. Finding the strength to…

Three years ago, Jenny Tobery, then a 73-year-old breast cancer survivor, was 100 pounds overweight, had a number of health issues and could not walk the short distance to her mailbox. “I spent most of my time in a…

I’ve been searching for the perfect pumpkin for nearly my whole life. Surely, since I could walk and talk. I started young because my father felt the need to grow giant pumpkins in our front yard—the kind of pumpkins that win…

What happens when people come together to focus on their health, and it turns into something much bigger? Fun is had, lifelong friendships are forged and obstacles are overcome—in this case, literal ones, like…

In a deep baritone voice, Don Barrett starts singing the classic American blues song “Working in the Coal Mine.” That would seem out of place if it weren’t for the fact that Barrett is a guide at the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine. Before long, almost everyone on…