Hundreds volunteer to Make McDowell Proud
By CHARLES OWENS
Bluefield Daily Telegraph


April 19, 2009 09:27 pm

— WELCH — Nathan Plowman is hoping to kindle a renewed sense of pride and hope across McDowell County.
Plowman, a native of Australia, is appealing to area residents to help with the first “Make McDowell Proud Day.” More than 360 volunteers across McDowell County have already responded to his call for help.
“We’ve had 360 plus people to already come up and register for it,” Plowman said of the April 25 all-day clean up campaign that will conclude with a free barbecue and concert by the “Peasall Sisters” at the Welch National Guard Armory. “We are expecting about 500 people for the concert and barbecue.”
Plowman, a member of Aid for the World, was hoping to see at least 100 volunteers step up to assist with the clean up of about 10 different locations across McDowell County. The program aims to emulate a national clean up campaign held annually in Australia.
“Now that I’ve got 360 (volunteers), I just couldn’t believe it,” Plowman said. “We’ve even got people from outside of the county who want to come in and help. With the response so far, it has to be an annual event now. I know in Australia it has grown to a week of cleaning up.”
Plowman, who has been in the county for the past eight months through Aid for the World, said the campaign serves a dual purpose of cleaning up McDowell County and also empowering its citizens.
“Being based in New York, this is the first area we’ve targeted coming to West Virginia,” Plowman said of Aid to the World. “The founder was heavily involved in 9-11 and ground zero, and we were all heavily involved in Katrina. So we’ve all been pretty heavily involved in this kind of work for a long time. When we first came to McDowell County, we just sort of wanted to get to know the people and get to know the area. We just wanted to come in and partner with those who have been working, and give them our strength and resources as well. The only time you are going to see a change is to get the local people involved. A part of that process is empowering people. Because you have the clean up being done, but you also have the awareness of trash in the county. It also helps to rise up some pride and new hope. The idea came from Australia, which is where I come from. They do it every year in Australia. It is a huge event on the national level.”
Plowman — working in conjunction with the McDowell County Commission and the McDowell County Solid Waste Authority — said the volunteers will target about 10 different locations across the county for the clean up campaign. He said many smaller groups also plan on working on April 25 to clean up their individual communities and neighborhoods. The day will conclude with a free cookout and barbecue for all of the volunteers and a free concert featuring the “Peasall Sisters,” who performed in the hit motion picture “Oh Brother Where Art Thou.” Plowman said Stacy Grubb — a local singer from McDowell County — also will be performing at the free concert.
Plowman said Aid for the World hopes to keep working in McDowell County for many months and years to come.
“We plan on continuing our presence for a long time, but the presence will change as for what we do here,” he said. “But we hope to have an office here forever. Because this area is like a starting point for the Appalachian Mountains. And we hope to have our presence here for a long-time.”
– Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com

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