There’s always a buzz around the Bootstraps! As greater than 20 people filled the Library conference room for the Bootstrap organization meeting each one had an agenda to fill with their own motivation. That’s what makes the group so unique and brings a high level of commitment for each one to succeed and for all to succeed as group.
The meeting was opened with a dialogue around marketing all aspects of Calhoun County and the need for infrastructure to be in place for success. There is currently missing pieces that continues to stall the county’s potential. One missing piece that was noted immediately was the fact that there is a missing political faction involved in the most active groups in the community. Not one Commissioner is attending a Bootstrap Meeting, Calhoun Citizens for Accountability, City Council or many other community meetings that should be of interest to them when potential business and community pull is involved.
Crystal Mersh, who opened the meeting, made the statement “Calhoun undersells themselves for ability and work ethic. We are sending our able bodied, skilled labor to other counties and states because there is nothing for them at home. The reason there are no jobs at home is because companies can’t find workers…workers who would like to live in the area can’t, because there are no homes to buy… there are no homes to buy because the infrastructure (water) is not there to build in the areas where expansion is available. The infrastructure isn’t there because the leadership of Calhoun County has neglected to address it for too many years. This is one of the problems that must be addressed as a community and pressure put on those in a position to make a difference.
Another statement by a meeting attendee was “Calhoun has a history of denying progress.” Those words cut at the heart of everyone who wants to see a brighter future for children and grandchildren.
That opening set the tone for all to follow. The idea of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps is not allowing past failures to ruin future success. It is the ability to control your own destiny with hard work and determination to see a project through, in spite of naysayers, or those attempting to stand in the way. The bootstraps members are committed to turning Calhoun County’s economy around by putting business plans together and finding the tools necessary to nail them in place.
The first of three groups to share their visionary thoughts was Farm 2 Table lead by Sandee Church of Arnoldsburg. As a part of the 82 Foundation’s business plan, a commercial kitchen will be a key addition to the center. It will not only provide meals for the children’s daycare center, but will offer local citizens a place to learn and produce foods that can be marketed, sold or used at home.
Former resident Mark Krugman, who now lives in Ohio, attended the meeting to share what he hopes will be a profitable venture for he and his wife. Their love of a good scone turned into a passion to create the perfect scone. He delivered a sample of his goods to Bootstrap attendees to sample in hopes of sharing and receiving ideas on making his business dream a reality. Mr. Krugman’s scones were a tasty, melt in your mouth bread, filled with apples and cinnamon goodness that made the group a believer in his business.
Jasmine Quick McGlothlin shared her childhood experience of working her parents farm with her siblings to provide produce baskets to an elite crowd in Kanawha County. The children helped to create a truckload of baskets filled with food, herbs and flowers to sell in order to feed their own family. That type of business is a waiting opportunity for Calhoun farmers.
The Bootstrap Organization hopes to encourage entrepreneurs such as the Krugmans, local pastry shops and bakeries, farmers markets and other vendors to produce and sell as much as they can locally to keep the money in the community. There was considerable conversation around using area greenhouses, farmers with State and local support to grow not only the foods but the businesses as well.
The second topic for the Bootstraps was the Parks and Recreation led by Eric Lupardus. Eric introduced the group to Pamela Huff of McDowell County who works with the Head of Dragon travel Route for motorcycles and sports cars. The “Head of the Dragon” joins the Back of the Dragon, Claw of the Dragon, and Tail of the Dragon to complete the Body of the Dragon motorcycle rides series in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. The ride consists of 91 miles of McDowell County two lane country roads on Route 52, Route 80, Route 83, Route 16, and Route 161. Business in the area embrace the route for bringing business to the area.
The recreation group hopes to work with Huff in the creation of a similar route through Calhoun County along with off road adventures and weekend tours. The goal is to create not only a draw for people outside of Calhoun to come into the county, but also open doors for capital ventures along the routes for local businesses.
Eric reintroduced a former Calhoun Alumni, Joseph Overbaugh to the group who is now a successful businessman in Wood County in the operation of Fission Cycles. Joe graduated Calhoun Middle High School in 2011 and after attending college became a school teacher. With the occurrence of Covid, and schools being out of session much of the time, he filled his free time with learning the business of e cycles. He took that knowledge to the next level when he and his brother opened a business selling the bikes and looking for new ways to generate ride opportunities. Through Joe’s connection with Eric, who connected him to Delegate Roger Hanshaw and Heather Tulley,egislation was just passed that allows the e-bikes to be ridden on public lands which had previously been denied.
Senate Bill 2062 passed as AN ACT to amend and reenact §17C-1-70 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend and reenact §17C-11-8 of said code, all relating to modifying e-bike regulations to more closely comport to federal law; creating new definitions of e-bikes in West Virginia; permitting Class 2 e-bikes to use throttles; allowing Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes to be operated on public lands to as to increase their usage and accessibility; and stating that users of e-bikes will not be given special privileges not otherwise given to similarly situated riders.
Joe brought two of the e-bikes for demonstration and impressed upon some of those in attendance to consider the e-bike for themselves. For more information about he e-bike and how to purchase your own, check out the website of Fission Cycles or contact the Overbaugh at their Wood County business.
The final meeting of the minds was for the County beautification project that is currently working on the Make it Shine project for April 1st. With nearly 90 volunteers the group is hoping to tackle and clean multiple areas throughout the community, as well as encouraging homeowners, businesses and churches to consider the area around their own locations in cleaning up the ditch lines and berm areas.
Community help is needed for not only the collection of trash, but also transportation of bags along the route, provision of water and supplies along the way. People with four wheelers and side by sides are encouraged to help through the day in the areas for which they live.
Through the Department of Highways and the Department of Environmental Protection Agency, supplies for cleanup is provided and collection taken care of.
If you’re interested in being a part of the day, contact Lisa Cooper at the Cabot Station Recycling Center to be put on the list of volunteers. Volunteers will meet at designated areas on Saturday, April 1, 2023 at 10 a.m. to begin the cleaning effort.
