Tradesmen build visitors’ center at Mountwood
By ROGER ADKINS radkins@newsandsentinel.comVOLCANO - Local tradesmen and union officials Monday said they were happy to help make the new Mountwood Park visitors' center a reality.
The center is nearly completed and will be used during the park's annual Volcano Days Festival this weekend. A grand opening celebration will be held at a later date, said Tammi Collins, director of events and marketing for the park.
The visitors' center itself was donated by Appalachian Log Structures, Collins said. However, many hours of work went into constructing the center. Park workers teamed up with volunteers, many from local trade unions, to make the project successful, Collins said.
"I called Delegate Dan Poling and asked if he could get us volunteers from the labor unions to come help our maintenance crew put this cabin together, since our guys had never done this before. I was so pleased that within a matter of a few days Dan had not only pulled together volunteers for the segment of the building we were working on, but he had managed to get volunteers for the whole project through to completion," Collins said.
Collins said the volunteers put in many hours to help get the building under roof. She said she's received many other offers from volunteers who are interested in helping with other projects.
"I am so happy to recognize these gentlemen that donated long hours and many days to make a pile of logs into the beautiful cabin that is standing today," she said. "I have received e-mails from other unions in the area offering their time and talent to Mountwood projects, and I can't help but think that it was started because a few good men stepped up to the plate when we needed help."
Members of the Friends of Mountwood Park are working on stocking the visitors' center with West Virginia products.
"We will be ready to open by Friday evening for the opening ceremony of Volcano Days," Collins said.
Steve Ruble, spokesman for Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters, Local 877, said the project was another opportunity for volunteers to make a difference with their skills.
"Working on a project such as the visitors' center gives us, both as bricklayers and members of the community, an opportunity to help improve and make a difference using our trade skills, which in turn helps to improve the overall well-being of a wonderful park located right here in Wood County," he said.
Fellow member Joe Elliott agreed with Ruble.
"This project was a great opportunity for the carpenters to help their community," he said.
Dean Tuell, spokesman for Sheet Metal Workers International Association, Local 33, said his organization was more than happy to get involved.
"I contacted our membership and got individuals to give time to the community in which we live. This is the way we do things in the surrounding areas. We are in the communities doing volunteering at clubs, for sports teams, churches and other aspects of the community. Everyone needs to support the community that we live in," he said.
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KenJudy
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09-23-08 4:55 AM
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Mountwood Park is a great place and it is nice to see people pull together to get things like this done. It doesnt seem like in todays world unless something drastic happens people want to help very much. You have you few selected few that help all the time. I have always enjoyed attending Mountwood Park, so I personally want to say Thank you to the employees at the park and to the volunteers that helped put this together. I am looking foward to seeing it this weekend at Vulcano Days.
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