For the Greater Good

from The Mountain Spirit Fall/Winter 2022

Fight Against Hunger

BY BRIANNA STEPHENS

While an individual’s efforts for a cause can be great, when we work together as a community or as partners, we can make a greater impact. This year, Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) honorees for the annual Champions of Appalachia award credit their success and efforts to partnerships and teamwork. The annual award recognizes individuals and organizations that have had a positive, long-term impact in the lives of people in need in Appalachia. This year Southland Christian Church was recognized

for their partnership that has helped not only support CAP’s mission but meet the needs of people in Appalachia. Thomas Vierheller, Ph.D. a professor of biology at Big Sandy Community and Technical College in Prestonsburg, Kentucky, was also recognized for fulfilling educational and physical needs in his community.

“Southland Christian Church is an excellent example of how CAP and its partners can work together to help people living in poverty in Appalachia. Through thousands of volunteer hours, donations of supplies and financial support, Southland Christian Church is a champion of Appalachia,” said Marci Hartness, CAP philanthropy office and coordinator of this year’s Champions of Appalachia event. “Dr. Vierheller’s deep connection with his community and love for the region and its people embody what a champion of Appalachia truly is.”

In early 2021, floods struck Eastern Kentucky and CAP needed volunteers to muck out homes and make repairs. Mark Perraut, the missions pastor for Southland, visited an area impacted by flooding to see the need firsthand. The next week, he brought a full team of skilled volunteers to help with disaster relief.

During their first disaster relief project, the group connected with a husband and wife who needed much of their insulation and dry wall cut out, their floors taken up, and furniture removed. Their bathroom was also destroyed as well as the new kitchen cabinets the couple saved so long for and installed three weeks before the flood. Southland’s volunteers built a strong bond with the family and continued to return to Eastern Kentucky to help the family rebuild until the work on the home was complete.

“Service is good for your heart, but it’s a blessing to be able to just be a part of building those relationships and helping people understand what Christ’s love is all about,” Perraut said.

When disaster struck again with deadly flooding this summer, Southland was there to help CAP with disaster relief efforts through mucking out homes and processing donations to help flood victims.

In addition to disaster relief, Southland volunteers have served in CAP’s Home Repair Program to make homes in Appalachia safe, warm, and dry. They have also served at CAP’s Grateful Bread Food Pantry and Grateful Threadz Thrift Store in Rockcastle County. Since April 2021, Southland has provided more than 7,200 hours of service to CAP’s programs and supported CAP through gift-in-kind donations and financial support.

“We are appreciative of this award, but we are more appreciative for Christian Appalachian Project,” Perraut said. “We are grateful for all they do and the opportunities that they’ve given us to come alongside and help.”

CAP’s other Champions honoree, Thomas Vierheller, Ph.D. has taught at Big Sandy Community and Technical college for nearly 30 years, all while serving the Prestonsburg community. His passion for providing opportunities for science education has driven his partnerships and collaborations to create outreach programs and educational spaces, like the East Kentucky Science Center.

Vierheller said the center is the epitome of people in a community coming together for a cause. Before the East Kentucky Science Center was established, the nearest planetarium was several hours away. There was a need for a planetarium in the area to encourage enthusiasm and an enhancement of science education in the community. Vierheller also helped establish a nature trail on Big Sandy’s campus, which teaches local ecology and the importance of water quality and protecting water sheds. Both the center and the trail are integrated into Vierheller’s curriculum for his students.

“It is important to me to invest in this area. I see people that could be left out that I know would have great possibilities if given the opportunities,” Vierheller said. “Even at the community college, there are some students that haven’t had those opportunities, but then they are able to get them in my classroom. I’ve seen how educational opportunities can really help them and make a difference.”

In addition to science, Vierheller’s passion to fight food insecurity and promote good health led him to be a part of the development of a community garden on the college’s campus 10 years ago. The garden provides fresh produce to the community and is distributed by the Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry, which serves hundreds of families in the area each month.

“I want to emphasize that whether it is the garden, the outreach programs, the science center, even my role teaching biology at the college and beyond, all of them have been made possible by partnerships,” Vierheller said. “While I am being recognized with this award, these efforts were about different groups coming together for the same purpose.”

The annual Champions of Appalachia celebration is underwritten by NetGain Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of Information Technology services and solutions since 1984. NetGain’s sponsorship supports CAP’s mission of building hope, transforming lives, and sharing Christ’s love through service in Appalachia.