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ISSUE 1902
CCX
MISSIONAL MAGAZINE
A network of caring people
Pickleball takes off
National Silver Gloves Champion!
We are very excited to announce our second female boxer who has acquired the National Silver Gloves title! Teersa has been a part of the Black Diamond Boxing Club for a year and a half. The title was bitter sweet, the tournament organizers could not find a competitor for her age and weight. Coach Jonathan Scott Kuhn had this to say:
"She worked so hard to be prepared... It was disappointing not to get to compete, but it is still a national title, and it is an honor to earn it!"
What most people haven't seen is the countless hours that she and other boxers like her have put into their training. We are proud of the dedication that Teersa has shown as she trains. She earned her title in the gym--no one can take that away from her.
A Fighter's Plea
By Jay Wilson
It has been almost 21 years since Karen and I left Mainstreet Church to go into ministry. It is always exciting when we get to return, even if the visit is short.
Our intention was to raise awareness and support for an important effort for youth in our county -- the Black Diamond Boxing Club. Led by entirely volunteer leadership from Coach Kuhn, a teacher in our county, CCX made the commitment to provide the training facilities needed to make this club a success. An up-and-coming filmmaker in our area took note and put in over a year's time voluntarily to produce a top-notch documentary to tell this story. We were exited to share this phenomenal story with our home church.
After driving 400 miles, we arrived at the church at 6:00 PM on February 8th. We were greeted by John and Jeannie Toth and Pastor Marty and Amy Pennington. We found our way into a great media room that was new to us. It was awesome. I found myself pondering the possibilities of moving back and becoming the Pastor of Movies! By 7:00 PM the group had gathered and we watched the documentary Cornered, A Fighter’s Story.
After the film we had time for questions and answers, followed by fellowship, which included way too much sugar. It was wonderful to meet new people from the church and visit with friends from long ago. We absolutely had a great time.
Saturday morning we made our way over to Genoa to meet with Gary Moritz and his lovely wife Joy to play pickleball. We crammed our scheduled 2 hours of playing time into 3 hours! It did not take long for Gary and I to realize our wives are very good at pickleball!
Saturday afternoon, we had a 3 hour lunch with Marty and Amy in Perrysburg. At 5:30 pm we met with our daughter, Makahla and her husband, Michael. Eight hours later we arrived back home in the County. What a whirlwind, what a thrill, let’s do that again but increase the time allotted.
Our hope is that this effort resonates with countless individuals who are cheering for the underdog, and want to support this program!
It Takes a Village
of Agencies
Happenings
State Farm CPST Event
This month Kyler and Shannon attended the State Farm CPST Update as part of their continuing education as Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPST). The event was a big hit. Sean Snyder (Region 4 CPST Instructor), Amy Boggs (CPS Coordinator), and Kim Herrmann (CPS Certification Specialist) with Safe Kids worked together to pull this off. They were able to get representatives from car seat manufacturers like Evenflo and Graco to come and talk about the latest lines of carseats and what new features to look for in the years to come. State Farm sponsored this event through a grant. Kyler and Shannon are looking to assist families in making sure their children are safe in the car through The Community Crossing's Fitting Station.
Our Pickleball Friend
Randy Synan of Picklebilly Heaven Pickleball club in Bluefield, WV and our own Alaric Wilson--Randy just turned 70 years old this month making him our oldest player while Alaric is 5 years old making him the youngest.
Fun and Fierce Competition
Craig and Vicki Stevens and Mark and Dianna Lobst of Beckley Pickleball Club enjoyed playing pickleball in the CCX gym. They are truly diehard picklers as they do not have access to indoor courts, so they play outside in Beckley regardless of the weather!
Leadership Conference
A group of McDowell County citizens is being formed with the hope of starting a grassroots movement to revitalize, reclaim, and re-energize our community, with a focus on economic development. Jeff Sinclair, a top US military leader and WV native (who mined coal to pay for his college), is committed to our community and led the effort. The group came together for 34 hours over 3 days for a guided visioning with Julian Geuder, Based in Germany, Julian and his company Bridging Positions donated time to facilitate this important effort. Julian has a track record of leading negotiations with corporate and international leaders facing issues such as the Syrian refugee crisis and other intractable problems.
There is no such thing as a perfect parent, but knowing what to expect and where to get help in the community can make things a lot easier. This month agencies came together to offer support, social connections and resources for prenatal Mothers in McDowell.
It’s easier to handle parenting challenges when there is a network of caring people we can turn to!
Agencies
WIC
Parents, caregivers, guardians with a child under 5 or pregnant can get personalized support for their family- Healthy Foods, Breastfeeding support, Nutrition Education and Care Beyond WIC services.
Visit their website
304-436-6122 or 304-436-6123 McDowell Contact
Coalfield Community Action Partnership Head Start
Planning early for your child’s education is imperative! Classrooms in McDowell are jointly operated and funded by the Office of Head Start and McDowell County and Mingo County schools and operate under the title of “Universal Pre-K”.
Visit their website
304-656-7076 McDowell Contact
Tug River Health
Tug River Health Association is a non-profit agency governed by a community based board, providing top quality health care and dental care to patients, no matter their income.
Visit their website
304-448-2101 Gary office
Drug Free Mother’s and Babies program
- Tug River Health
Prenatal program addressing the needs of women addicted to illicit drug usage. They provide addiction treatment and required Behavioral Health treatments to ensure both mom and baby can recover in the healthiest, most stable manner, promoting the best chance of post birth health.
304-862-2588 Northfork Office
Big Creek People In Action
Serves McDowell County in the areas of education, literacy, leadership development, volunteer service, service learning, arts and culture, housing, recreation, and collaborative partnerships. They also host a large annual Community Baby Shower for McDowell County Mothers as well!
Visit their website
304-875-3418
Birth to Three
West Virginia Birth to Three is a system of services and supports for children ages birth to three who have a delay in their development or may be at risk for a delay. The early intervention services are offered at no cost to families and provided in the child's daily natural environment (home or community setting).
Visit their website
304-682-6271 McDowell Contact
UniCARE
Unicare Health Plan of West Virginia has a Healthy Rewards program where you can earn money just by getting check-ups and screenings!
304-539-3843 McDowell Contact
At CCX we are proud to have professional consultants and trainers! Kasondra Ramsey and Lesa Wilson are Certified Lactation Counselors and work to help moms get the best start they can at breastfeeding. Shannon Pace and Kyler Wilson are Certified Car seat Technicians who help families keep their children safe while they travel, and are available to train them how to use their car seat in their vehicle the best way possible. Shannon also regularly demonstrates how to to use slings and wraps to carry babies and the benefits baby wearing provides!
Donations
Door prizes from Unicare, BCPIA, Headstart, WIC, Tug River Health, Birth To Three
Handmade baby hats, burp cloths, swaddle blankets
Church donations of diapers, wipes, and many items to help assist families in need!
Donations are vital to our program - from thoughtful handmade items to Amazon purchases.
A special thank you to First Baptist Church of Melbourne in Florida for their heartfelt donations to our families in McDowell!
Congratulations
Graduates!
After many visits with a Parent Educator and participation in the Parents as Teachers program, we are so proud of:
~ Margaret Blevins and mother, Vicky Blevins ~
~ Manaya Rowe and mother, Kristen Dudleson ~
~ Grayson Taylor and mother, Amanda Taylor~
Congratulations for graduating out!
The Community Crossing not only is a faith-based ministry but a faith dependent ministry. We are very fortunate to have the Parents As Teachers grant through WV Department of Health and Human Services, however that does not cover the cost of the supportive ministry. There are many needs that families have that the grant does not cover such as diapers, wipes and even home repairs. Creating a safe environment for their family is important. Black Diamond boxing’s only support comes from The Community Crossing donors and has critical needs for sponsoring boxers and upcoming events. Our gym hosts various sports for members of the community. Would you prayerfully consider giving $30, $50 or $100 per month in support of these ministries?
