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LEO Students Raise $10,000 to Help Flood-Damaged School

On Friday, several Moundsville Middle School LEO Club members, along with LEO Club adviser Mike Eskridge, MMS principal Sandy McAllister and others will be traveling to Elkview Middle School at Clendenin in Kanawha County to hand deliver a check to school officials. The money is to go toward replacing school items which were destroyed in a June flood in southern West Virginia.

It was on Sept. 7 that Eskridge received permission from Marshall County Superintendent Mike Hince for the LEOs to undertake an effort to hopefully raise $10,000, and be able to present the money prior to Christmas.

It just so happened that this past Wednesday, three months to the day later, that the $10,000 figure was reached.

Eskridge said it was decided that the LEOs would continue to accept donations through this Thursday, and he is hoping that instead of $10,000, the figure might be $12,000.

This marks the second time in the LEO Club’s 15-year existence that this organization, comprised of eighth grade students, has raised $10,000 for a cause.

The initial undertaking of this magnitude took place around 10 years ago, when the organization launched an effort to raise $10,000 toward Hurricane Katrina relief. At that time the city of Moundsville had a population of 9,998 and the $10,000 figure represented $1 per resident.

The mission for the latest undertaking was to raise $10,000, “One Dollar at a Time!”

When it was first announced that the LEOs were going to undertake this project, Eskridge said, “We are encouraging local businesses, organizations and schools to contribute one dollar per employee/member/students, along with others who either live or are connected with the city in any way.”

As to the LEO clubs, the word LEO stands for Leadership, Experience, Opportunity, the clubs are  sponsored Internationally by local Lions Clubs. The Moundsville Middle School LEOs are sponsored by the Moundsville Lions Club.

Leadership: LEO members acquire skills as project organizers and motivators of their peers.

Experience: They discover how teamwork and cooperation can bring about change in their community and the world.

Opportunity: LEOs  develop positive traits and receive recognition for their contributions.

This year, MMS LEOs number 44, with club officers being Isaac Woods, president; Mercadies Whorton, vice president; Ashley Schwing, secretary; Lakyn Groves, treasurer; and Sophia Baird, Brooke Scandinaro and Liv Stoffel, board of directors. Internationally there are some 144,000 members representing more than 5,700 clubs in approximately 141 countries.

The first LEO Club was started in 1957 at Abington High School in Pennsylvania in 1957. In 1967 the board of directors of Lions Clubs International adopted the Leo Club Program as an official program of the organization.

The media and Marshall County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director  Dave Knuth this past Thursday had an opportunity to tour the nine-year-old city of Moundsville water plant. The tour had three purposes: to explain the operation of the plant for those who had never viewed it previously, to learn of upgrades which are needed, to provide information about a  proposed rate increase.

As to the rate increase, the water board, which includes David Haynes, James Stultz and Denny Wallace, has determined that the nanofiltration system needs replaced. This type of filtration is a softening system to reduce the hardness of water. Prior to the current plant, Moundsville customers  encountered staining of water fixtures, sinks, bath tubs, and at times, brown spots could be found on white clothing items after they were washed. In addition, some customers purchased or rented water softeners.

The cost to replace the filters is filter is estimated at  $400,000. The raise hike will also enable the construction of a new well, and to also compliance with a recent state legislature mandate requiring all water plants in West Virginia to have $250,000 on hand for capital improvement.

Haynes, Stultz and Mayor Eugene Saunders, an ex-officio member of the water board, were all present for Thursday’s tour, and all agreed the state-of-the-art, plant’s advanced technology provides the highest quality of water, and that the facility is capable of meeting all present and proposed state and federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards. It was also noted that backup parts are on hand.

The plant enables the 100 percent softening of its finished water for residents of Moundsville, Maxwell Acres and Hillview Terrace (5,800  customers). The city of Moundsville also sells water to Public Service Districts 3 and 4, the later PSD going eastward to Rock Lick.

City Council will be voting  on ordinance enabling the increase, with the first of two readings to come up on Dec. 20.

Haynes, who is also a council member, and Saunders anticipate if the ordinances passes that the increase would not begin until Feb. 1.

For those having questions concerning the proposed increase, an individual from a Charleston law firm which has been assisting the water board in  the matter will be in attendance at the Dec. 20 council meeting.

Like any proposal such as this the main question in all probability will be how much more will it cost me?

Well, if you use 2,500 gallons of water a month, you are currently paying $18.71. If the increase is approved, your water bill for that same amount of water would be $22.83 per month.

By the way, there are 369 water plants operating in West Virginia, with 300 of them charging higher rates than Moundsville, according to Haynes.

The current plant  was an $18 million undertaking for which the city received two different grants totalling some $5 million. The remaining money was borrowed, to be paid back over a period of 25 years.

The individual who conducted the tour was plant superintendent  Jim Woods, who has been with the department for 47 years, 43 on a full-time basis and four years on a  part-time basis.

An Old-fashioned Christmas Sing-A-Long will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Benwood-McMechen Public Library, 201 Marshall St., McMechen.

Music will be provided by Wesley Howsare, who will be joined by his long-time friend, Santa.

This  event is free and open to the public, with holiday treats consisting of candy canes and cookies provided by members of the Ladies League of Marshall County. For additional information call either the Moundsville-Marshall County Library at 304-845-6911 or the Benwood-McMechen Library at 304-232-9720.

Moundsville City Council has  initiated a free recycling program for residents, which began on Nov. 1.

City Public Safety Director Frank Stocklash said a number of residents have taken advantage, but he believes others may not be aware of this opportunity.

He said that since the initiation the number of days has been increased to six, Monday through Saturday. The hours Monday through Friday are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., while on Saturdays the hours are 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.

He stated that there are two blue recycling dumpsters on the grounds of Street/Sanitation Department, which is located on Tomlinson Avenue just north of First Street.

Stocklash said those bringing items for recycling do not have to sort items.

Among items which can be dropped off are paper, glass, plastic, cardboard, aluminum and metals. Not acceptable are televisions, white goods, hazardous materials, household garbage and tires.

Judging of house decorations in the city of Cameron will take place on Friday, with those wishing to have their homes judged are to turn the decorations on by 6 p.m. on that date.

There will be prizes for the top three. This undertaking is being sponsored by the city.

Attendance at the annual Moundsville Opus Music Club Christmas Concert was the largest in several years, with 276 in attendance, according to Rev. Wesley Howsare of the First Christian Church, where the event was held.

Since the turnout was such that all the pews were filled, chairs had to be brought into the sanctuary.

Although the Salvation Army Red Kettle program in Marshall and Wetzel counties is some $2,500 behind the amount donated over the same period a year ago, commanding officer Lt. Gene Hunt remains confident that donations will pick up during the next two weeks and that the total figure will either match or exceed last year’s $49,000 figure.

For the second year in a row, the Salvation Army has received money from Chevron. The $5,000 will go to families needing assistance in paying their utility bills.

Lt. Hunt and office secretary, Nancy Yoho, extend thanks to those responsible for providing this funding to the Salvation Army.

Although the start of winter is still a few days off, remember spring and summer can’t be too far in the distance. In fact, this past week I received a Christmas card from Jim Heath, the founder of the  Boys of Summer event, and his reminder that the 10th annual get-together will be taking place on July 9 at Grand Vue Park. There will be a picnic on July 9 at Shelter No. 2 at Grand Vue Park, and those planning to attend are to RSVP to Heath at 1-479-7122 prior to June 25, 2017.

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