RAIL was conjured up by a group of planners who that all issues contributing to poverty in the southern Appalachian coalfields of West Virginia had to be addressed before they could be solved. RAIL would identify six key elements that needed to be taken in to account before they could positively impact the amount of poverty in the area. The responsibility of gathering information to understand the root causes of poverty without a sponsoring organization, and in having only volunteers, was a problem.
With the support of an energetic Mullens City Commission, the Wyoming County School Board, and other entities RAIL began operation in 2001. Despite their enthusiasm and creative ideas, there was little capacity to get things done. The organizers, in search of resources, discovered the AmeriCorps program. Their first VISTA began community development initiatives on September 1, 2002; undertaking the task of transforming the longer needed elementary school building into a community center and business incubator.
The facility had been ravaged by the community’s most devastating flood in its history a year earlier, and although mud had been removed from the building, the first floor ceiling had been replaced, and some painting had been accomplished, much still was required before the facility was fit for human habitation. Several thousand square feet of floor tile had to be replaced, scrubbing, painting, and many hours of drudgery was still needed. RAIL discovered another valuable resource in the AmeriCorps*NCCC program and a team was soon hard at work improving the livability of the old school building that had taken on a new look and name. The facility was named Mullens Opportunity Center.
A year later RAIL was awarded their second AmeriCorps*NCCC team that continued efforts to make the MOC more conducive to community activities. During the third year of operation, RAIL was awarded its second and third VISTA. Volunteers continued the management and building of the organization. Since its founding, twenty AmeriCorps*VISTAs have provided capacity to develop RAIL as an organization, and have helped to plan, as well as implement programs in the Mullens area. Feel free to click here, or explore the “Programs” drop down menu for more information.
Click Here to read an article from the Register-Herald Online about RAIL.
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