MORGANTOWN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
The next regular meeting should be Thursday, September 21st at 6:30 p.m. You can get information on the commission, including information on filing complaint forms here and copies of the agendas and minutes for the commission meetings here. You can find a calendar of annual human rights observances here. Observances for the current month are included here.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS of morgantown / monongalia County (LWV-MM)
The League of Women Voters is a constituent member of West Virginia Women Vote (WVWV).
Follow this group on Facebook and contact them by email at lwvmorgantown@gmail.com. Interested in joining the League of Women Voters? Join online. The state League of Women Voters has a new website. “The League of Women Voters of West Virginia is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots civic organization that encourages informed and active participation in government.”
GREATER MORGANTOWN INTERFAITH ASSOCIATION (GMIA)
You can follow GMIA on Facebook or on the web. Their email address is morgantowninterfaith@gmail.com.
MORGANTOWN NOW CHAPTER
Morgantown NOW will be participating at the CCSJ Social and Environmental Justice Fair on September 17th.
Email this group at morgantownnow@gmail.com. Follow the group on Facebook or their website.
Morgantown-Kingwood Branch of the NAACP
The next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 19th at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. See below for more details. Contact the NAACP at 3241naacp@gmail.com for more information and to learn how to participate.
The branch will be participating in the CCSJ Social and Environmental Justice Fair on September 17th, and we appreciate their sharing information about CCSJ meetings with the branch membership.
Follow the NAACP on Facebook.
WEST VIRGINIA COALITION FOR TRUTH IN HISTORY
This group organized in 2022 in response to proposed legislation at the state level dealing with the way history is taught in our public schools.
The group is now deciding how to move forward. Follow them on Facebook.
MORGANTOWN CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN-MENNONITE
The church has a Blessings Box outside the church at 464 Virginia Avenue, where you can drop off extra food you may have or take some if you need it, or swap food. Feminine hygiene products are also welcome.
Sunday services are held at 10:30 a.m. in person and via Zoom, except for the dates noted below, with the link available here. Masks are no longer required.
The Church of the Brethren will be participating in the CCSJ Social and Environmental Justice Fair on September 17th.
Follow them at their website or on Facebook. Sunday services are held at 10:30 a.m. in person and via Zoom, with the link available here. "We ask that everyone wear a mask inside the building.”
UNITARIAN-UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF MORGANTOWN (UUFM)
"We are a Welcoming Congregation and support the Community Coalition for Social Justice."
For more information on the group and their programs go to the UU website or Facebook or email UUFMWV@gmail.com or call 304-216-5535.
PFLAG
The closest chapter now is in Fairmont, with information available here. According to its website, “PFLAG Fairmont meets each month, usually on the first Thursday of the month at 7pm on the 2nd floor of the Ruth Ann Musick Library on the campus of Fairmont State University.”
DISMANTLING RACISM TOGETHER
Dismantling Racism Together (DRT) will meet on Monday, September 18th at 7:00 p.m. by Zoom. Dr. Sheila Castells will speak on "what next after you get the data" concerning disparity in school suspensions. Dr. Castells has been a teacher in public schools in Washington, DC, and Alexandria, Virginia. An Adjunct Faculty at the College of Human Resources at WVU, she has degrees in curriculum and instruction, and educational research and statistics. The zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85962493623.
The DRT is also working with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) for a program on Tuesday, September 18th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at OLLI at the Mountaineer Mall on Greenbag Road.The program will start by viewing the video “Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America.” The video is described as “ Interweaving lecture, personal anecdotes, interviews, and shocking revelations in the documentary, WHO WE ARE: A Chronicle of Racism in America, criminal defense/civil rights lawyer Jeffery Robinson draws a stark timeline of anti-black racism in the United States from slavery to the modern myth of post-racial America.”
The two-hour documentary presentation will be followed by a lunch break, then an opportunity to interact with a panel of distinguished guests, featuring Bob Bastress (WVU Professor of Law), Rachel Fetty (Vice Chair of Morgantown Civilian Police Review and Advisory Board); Dr. Joseph Jones (WVU Visiting Assistant Professor in Reed College of Media); and Meshea Poore (WVU Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion). Mavis Grant and George Lilley will be facilitating this program as co-facilitators of Dismantling Racism Together.
Note: The program requires advance registration and a fee of $12 at the time of registration. OLLI members can register now at OLLIatwvu.org. Registration is limited and will open to the public on August 1.
For more information about the group please go to their website or Facebook or email dismantlingracismtogether@gmail.com or contact rebeccarodd@yahoo.com.
MORGANTOWN PRIDE
For information on this group, go to their Facebook page or their website. Morgantown Pride has an Instagram page here.
Raising Trans Kids Community Group: The next meeting of the Raising Trans Kids group will be on Saturday, September 9th, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Anyone interested in joining the meeting for the first time or to get more information can email raisingtranskids@gmail.com.
MONONGALIA COUNTY CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER EVENTS
Follow this group here or on Facebook . According to the August newsletter, “From January 2023 to July 2023, MCCAC has served 415 clients and conducted 155 forensic interviews. We have also provided 575 therapy sessions and 3,794 family advocacy services.”
The Monongalia County Child Advocacy Center participated in The Pantry Plus More's Back to School Bash on August 12th at Mylan Park. “The event helped over 1,600 students prepare for school with backpacks, school supplies, hygiene products and more.”
MCCAC's Birthday Club: “For a minimum donation of $25 you can honor a friend or family member on their birthday and a client at MCCAC on theirs! Your friend or family member will receive a card informing them that a donation was made in their honor and a client at MCCAC will receive a card and present for their birthday!
“If you are interested in participating you can contact Taylor at MCCAC! Reach out at tshultz@moncocac.org, 304-598-0344, or stop by our office.”
The next fundraising event will be the Battle of the Bartenders - Holiday Edition! This event will be held on Thursday, November 30th at Kegler’s. Stay tuned for additional details, including the bartending teams! Interested in getting involved with the Battle of the Bartenders event? Contact Taylor at 304-598-0344 or tshultz@moncocac.org.
Kroger Community Rewards support the CAC: If you already use Kroger rewards and have a digital account, simply link your Shopper's Card to your account so that all transactions apply toward the organization you choose. Choose MCCAC from the organization list, and Kroger will donate a percentage of your spending to the CAC. MCCAC's NPO number: 90621.
The Center has an Amazon wish list that you can access most easily by going to their Facebook page and clicking on the link just above this image.
Empty Bowls Monongalia Fundraising Events
Their major fall event is October 14th."This Fall Fund Raiser, presented by Empty Bowls Monongalia, is an evening of fine wines, a marvelous buffet dinner with tempting desserts, music by Jazz Pianist Bob Thompson, live auctions offering a variety of unique items, and engaging games with fantastic prizes that will be available throughout the evening. Ticket includes beer, wine, and food. Spirits will also be available."
Tickets are $150, $300 for a couple, and $1,500 for a table of 10 and can be purchased here www.ebmon.org/funraiser.
Volunteers are needed for Game Day Parking: Sign up here Please review the spots available to manage the parking lot at the Morgantown Church of the Brethren located at 464 Virginia Ave, Morgantown, WV 26505. Volunteers should be at the parking lot 2 hours before WVU kickoff and will take parking donations of $15 per spot until lot is filled. For more detailed information, please email EBMon.office@gmail.com . We thank you for your support in fighting against food insecurity in Monongalia County.
The Soup & Bread Luncheon will be Saturday, February 24, 2024. Volunteer opportunities are now available. Go here to volunteer.
Music at the Scotts Run Museum and Trail
“Put the last Monday of every month at 6pm on your calendars to join us at the Scotts Run Museum and Trail in Osage to join in our spontaneous, no experience needed, Osage Gospel and Soul Community Choir led by Al Anderson and Aristotle Jones. We'll just have fun being together, sharing music as part of the Scotts Run Resonance—Passing It Forward project of events and classes funded by the Mid Atlantic Arts Central Appalachia Living Traditions initiative. As with all of the events and classes, it's free.” You can hear a “sample” featuring Danni Reese (15) and Al Anderson (86) at www.facebook.com/ScottsRunMuseum
