Department of Health, Department of Health Facilities, and Department of Human Services

​Change the Future West Virginia will recognize community leaders who have supported the program’s goals and objectives at 6:00 p.m., on Wednesday, December 3, at Stonewall Resort and Conference Center in Roanoke, West Virginia.

Change the Future WV is administered by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to implement initiatives that improve the health and well-being of communities across West Virginia by promoting healthy eating and increased activity levels, achieving tobacco-free workplaces, and improving access to community-based wellness classes.  The three-year program is funded from a Community Transformation Grant issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which ends this month. 

Change the Future WV has improved access to fresh fruits and vegetables by placing locally grown produce in more than 150 convenience stores, established healthy checkout aisles in 90 grocery stores, supplied EBT machines to farmers markets so that individuals receiving SNAP benefits could purchase fresh, local produce, and trained more than 160 individuals to lead health and wellness classes in their communities.   

“This has been a great program for West Virginia and we want to celebrate its success,” said Joe Barker, director of DHHR’s Office of Community Health Systems and Health Promotion.  “We are proud of the work that each community involved with Change the Future has accomplished to help make West Virginia a healthier state and will be recognizing coalitions and communities that have made a difference.”   Barker said he is hopeful that his Office will be able to continue to build on the progress of the program and work collaboratively with communities to institute best practices in health promotion.
           
Change the Future WV will present awards to the following community leaders and coalition partners across West Virginia:

Region 1:
Mary Shuttlesworth                 PATCH of Taylor County                               Taylor County
Jackie Huff                              Hancock Board of Health                               Hancock County
Stephanie Yu                          Volunteer WV                                                 Kanawha County
Lisa Leach                              Rural Health Alliance                                      Wood County
Dr. Kayne Kramer                   Diabetes Prevention Support Center             Pittsburgh, PA
Carrie Brainard                        Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department              Wood County

Region 2:
Patricia Weaver                      Potomac Valley Hospital                                Mineral County
Joanna Kuhn                          Eastern Regional FRN                                   Hampshire County
Nina Madison                         Xpress Liberty Convenience Store                 Randolph County
Jim Radar                               Petersburg Shop N Save                               Wood County
Hank Kopple                          Grant County Farmers Market                        Grant County
Karen Begg                            Randolph County Health Department             Randolph County
Marlana Pennington               Belington Wellness Center                             Barbour County
Dana DeJarnett                      University Healthcare – Berkeley Medical      Berkeley County
Arlene Fernandez-Anderson  University Healthcare – Jefferson Medical     Jefferson County
Vicki Shean                            Eastern Panhandle Care Clinic                      Jefferson County
Elise Woods                           Berkeley Springs Farmers Market                  Berkeley County
Bethany Allen-Perez              ROC Convenience Store                                Jefferson County
Terry Smith                            Go Mart Inc.                                                    Multiple Counties
Sharon Briggs                        Mountaineer Mart Convenience Store           Multiple Counties
James Sowder                       Charles Town Wal-Mart                                 Jefferson County

Region 3:
Kathy Brunty                           Wyoming County FRN                                   Wyoming County
Cathy Wallace                        Girls on the Run – Southern WV                    Mercer County
Allan Hathaway                       The Purple Onion                                           Kanawha County
Aletha Stolar                           Living Well Diabetes Workgroup                    Fayette County
Linda McKinney                      5 Loaves 2 Fishes Food Bank                        McDowell County
Laura Dice                              KEYS 4 HealthyKids                                       Kanawha County
Stephen Smith                        Try This WV                                                    Kanawha County

Region 4:
Wendy Crawford                    Jackson County Health Department              Jackson County
Susan Hosaflook                    Jackson County Health Department              Jackson County
Tim Forth                                FoodFair                                                         Cabell County
April Knight                             Try This Huntington                                       Cabell County            
Drug Emporium                                                                                              Multiple Counties