When The 1982 Foundation sets its mind to do something, their level of commitment is always incomprehensible. I don’t know of a story in any other city where one organization has made such a positive effect on entire community. The transformation that has been ongoing at the former High School Property has now spilled over onto Main Street.
Crystal Mersh, President of the foundation mentioned the idea of creating a new palette of colors on Main Street last year to a few of the business owners with buildings that were looking somewhat tired. The owners were on board and The Foundation took the task on themselves with the entire process being donated from the paint to the painters, and on Saturday, September 23, 2023, Minnich Florist became the first transformation.
With accusations swarming like bees on a summer day, Crystal Mersh and her team of volunteers have been undaunted by the naysayers and continue being the poster children for progress against all odds. On the cusp of $65,000 in donated lampposts, a Hallmark Movie would be less exciting than what’s happening in the Town of Grantsville. The enthusiasm has been contagious as multiple other organizations are making improvements in a community that had been virtually untouched in decades.
Although many of the local political leaders continue to refuse change, even State and National leaders are noticing Calhoun County’s transforming ways and have traveled to the center of West Virginia to see what the next stage of the plan is and how Calhoun can be an example of hope for other communities.
I’m not sure who said it, but it seemed an appropriate quote for Calhoun’s laborious volunteers:
If there were no difficulties there would be no success; if there were nothing to struggle for, there would be nothing to be achieved. Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best; it removes all that is base.
If this battle has accomplished anything, it’s created an ownership in Calhoun, where the community is taking back the land (from the north to the south and in between) and the power from those who oppressed generation after generation and refused to allow the people to have a voice.
