1982 Foundation

The people of central WV are working hard to improve their lives every day. We know that our future generations' abilities to raise their families in the place we call home is completely dependent on our success in improving the economic conditions today that will create an environment to enable growth and progress. The 1982 Foundation has been able to secure private (non tax payer money) funding to build Avalon in Grantsville WV: a $10 million dollar multi-use facility that will be self-sustaining and will provide 50 jobs as well as many more opportunities for entrepreneurs, and prospective employees who need child care services. So literally hundreds of jobs can be made available via this project.

We have applied for 3 years now for federal funding, and none has come. We were counting on $2 million of start-up funds from the Appalachian Regional Commission but we were rejected. The primary reason given was that the project was too ambitious. Considering the $10 million private investment we felt confident and were encouraged that ARC funding would come. Typically for a region such as ours, a 20% match is required. We had a 500% match and still did not get it.

We firmly believe that while the US in general has forgotten WV, many from WV have forgotten our area in central WV commonly referred to as the doughnut hole. I fear that in their minds we are the "throw aways".

A new day is dawning. The "throw aways" have decided to take matters into their own hands. We will do what we need to start and scale this project. We are not afraid of hard work. We are not short on intelligence. And we will do what we must do to secure a strong future for our children.

We know that many of you wish to help as well. And we welcome that help. You will see that there are many ways that you can provide assistance. A means of direct contributions and repeating monthly contribution has been requested and we are making this available via Paypal.

We do suggest that you click on the "friends and family" button to avoid paying unnecessary fees.

We thank you in advance for your love and support. We do need all the help we can get to make this a reality. Feel free to also pass this along to your friends and business colleagues who love you and would like to support the projects that are important to you.

Want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money to benefit 1982 Foundation, and any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.

Our team has made great progress in 2023, and we are gearing up to complete the balance of the work in 2024/5. The project is a $9 million mixed use community center that will support 7 of the poorest counties in West Virginia (one of the poorest states in the nation). It will include a new day care center as there are only 2 others in these 7 counties which precludes parents from working. It will also include a private non profit K-12 which will focus on STEAM. The Entrepreneurship Zone will provide for opportunities for our local craftsman, artists, bakers, food preservation, and various other recreational and economic development businesses. Our Recovery Zone will provide a safe place for those in recovery to fellowship and meet as they heal their lives and return to the workforce. The center is a self funding operation that ultimately be funded by rental units, a restaurant and nano brewery.

Major achievements this year include:

Completion of Historic Tax Credit & New Market Tax Credits that will provide 45% of the needed funding for construction

Completion of Phase 1, a $1 million swimming complex

Completion of all engineering drawings and site prep

Designation as a historical landmark on the National Historic Registry

Set up of operational team

Recoginized as the runner up as. the Best Non Profit in West Virginia in our second year of operation

Continued progress in our Bootstraps Program which is exactly what it counds like...pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps.

On a related note, unfortunately we did not get the two major grants we applied for were not awarded to us. Some of our learning in the process has been that there was concern that our project was not as much economic development as it was continued social support for the poorest county in the poorest state in the union. This could not be further from the truth. I take full ownership of this failure to convey the right message and we are learning how to be successful.

We have rallied the best team of supporters, donors, volunteers, entrepreneurs, prayer warriors, and kids at the grass roots level. This is our biggest success to date, and this is what will ultimately make us successful. For those of you who know me, know that I am too old and too ugly to start failing at ventures now. This will be a success and we will show the whole country what we are made of in central WV......determination, resilience, and grit

I hope you will join in helping us as we go into 2024. We will be successful with your help. Thank you kindly. Your friend, Crystal