Volunteer Spotlight

Who volunteers at REACH Cabell County? You might be surprised! People from WV, KY and OH, people who are now clean and sober, moms and dads, teenagers, counselors, pastors, business owners, retirees, attorneys, church leaders, health care employees, community leaders, and professionals logged in 2,500 hours in 2011.

In July we passed the 2,500 mark for volunteer hours during 2012. REACH is about people helping – so thank you volunteers for helping give hope to your neighbors, friends, family and even people you don’t know! Those numbers say “I care.” We hear you loud and clear!

Thomas "TJ" Beasley, Sophomore at Challenger Early College High School, came from North Carolina to West Virginia to spend time with his Aunt Connie and Uncle Tom this summer. No one knew what an impact he would have on the REACH office when he came with Connie to volunteer! You see, TJ has a gift with computer technology. His understanding of information management moved the office into a new place in cyber world!

Databases were developed that provide immediate statistics for program reports regarding clients, volunteers, training classes, call logs, etc. He updated the software and researched programs that would suit our needs.

He worked on the REACH web site creating new tabs, adding slideshows and updating pages. A "Reporting" option on the website now allows information to securely be sent to and received from church facilitators working with the faith-based small groups.

For months we had been considering a cloud system. TJ got it up and running and transferred our email account over to work with it. He held training sessions with the staff and developed a user friendly guide book so we would know how to use it efficiently.

In addition, he familiarized himself with our online RightNowTraining program (soon available for REACH volunteers) and held training sessions explaining the software to the staff, REACH videographer, Tom Amos and Board Chairman, Mike Greider.

“It is impossible to put a value on the work TJ did for REACH,” said Coordinator, Alanna Garden, “He had a solution for everything we presented to him and he made improvements we didn’t know to ask for. He is an amazing young man and we are so happy he spent part of his summer with us.”

When asked why he volunteered so much during his five week stay he said, “Because of the staff. I really enjoyed working with them and they made me feel right at home.”

TJ continues to assist REACH from his home computer in NC and is looking forward to volunteering next summer when he has his driver’s license and he can drive Aunt Connie from Teays Valley to Huntington!

Pyle Celebrates 25 years of Recovery

Marvin “Butch” Pyle just celebrated his 25th

year of sobriety in February 2012. Through

the years he has helped many people begin

and stay on their own recovery journey by

being a sponsor or a substance abuse

counselor before retiring in 2007. Pyle has

volunteered many hours in the REACH

office over the last few months and is now

focused on the Peer Support Mentor program.

His long standing ties to the tri-state allow

him to be a bridge for others in recovery to

join our mentor team and pay it forward.

Congratulations, Marvin, on this milestone

in your life!

Recovery Center Graduate Paying Recovery Forward as Volunteer at REACH Cabell County Office!

Brigette Duba, 22, just graduated from the 6-month program at Karen’s Place, a women’s substance abuse recovery center at Yatesville Lake in Louisa, Kentucky. While at Karen’s Place she met REACH Coordinator Alanna Garden and a casual conversation turned into Duba finding her recovery calling. The same week she graduated, she started volunteering at the REACH office and now has an opportunity to pay her recovery forward!

“REACH is giving me a great opportunity to pay my recovery forward. Not only am I giving back, but REACH has helped me find a great mentor!”

–Brigette Duba