MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Two prominent members of the West Virginia community will work in tandem to support the United Way of Mon and Preston County’s 2025 capital campaign.
West Virginia University Health Sciences Executive Dean Dr. Clay Marsh and retired West Virginia National Guard Major General Jim Hoyer will co-chair what is called the United We Rise campaign in an effort to support local programs in the community. The goal for the campaign is to raise approximately $1.2 million to support over two dozen programs and social services that are supported by the United Way MPC.
“The United Way performs such a critical set of functions for our community, and this is an organization that supports other organizations,” said Marsh on why he chose to accept being a co-chair for the United We Rise campaign. “And in 2023 (United Way MPC) returned over $3 million (during their capital campaign), and we thought, (this is) a priority we can help out with,” he said.
Marsh and Hoyer will help United Way MPC leaders promote the annual workplace campaign where individual donations will be collected at Morgantown area retailers. They will also offer connections with West Virginia University to support more public donations, with both co-chairs currently working for the university (Hoyer currently serves as the Vice President for Economic Innovation at WVU). With a long history of past campaigns keeping funds in the community and the previous year seeing over $3 million in donations from local businesses and Morgantown area residents, both Marsh and Hoyer felt they could contribute to the cause.
“The United Way offers several programs, distinctly including the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and the emergency number West Virginia 211,” said Marsh on some of the programs that inspired him to participate in the United We Rise campaign. “And the United Way (MPC) also supports 27 other agencies, so the United Way does so much good,” he said.
All the proceeds gathered by the United Way MPC during the United We Rise campaign will support over two dozen social service programs that vary from food distribution programs to after-school recreation opportunities for children. This not only includes the Dolly Parton Imagination Library but also support to downtown Morgantown-based Christian Help, social services based out of Hazel’s House of Hope, and numerous charitable programs based in Preston County. With the goal currently set at $1.2 million, despite the 2024 totals more than doubling that, Hoyer and Marsh feel they can help match those totals.
“Every contribution is important, it stays in the community, and those 27 agencies are not just giving people a hand up, they’re developing future opportunities for our state,” said Hoyer on what makes the United We Rise campaign stand out.
The United Way MPC United We Rise campaign will take place throughout the rest of 2024 and into 2025. During that time, Morgantown area businesses will place the traditional campaign collection marker out by their business so residents can track how close the community is to the $1.2 million goal. With a multi-year history of the United Way MPC passing their campaign goals with the help of over a dozen local businesses, Dr. Marsh and General Hoyer hope they can help play a part to help those in need.
“The individual support across the county is truly amazing, and it’s a testament to that West Virginia spirit,” said Hoyer. “And I think the other thing that we want to see is that we’re energizing even more people to be involved,” he said.