Editor, The Herald:

This letter addresses volunteerism, and the central Virginia communities' commitment to this practice, which continues undaunted in this distressed economy. I especially want to sing the praises of a group that has helped just about every volunteer event and organization in our community: the Christian Outreach Program Pregnancy Center (COPPC), a 501 (3)c organization. They run a thrift store in a large blue building with a red roof on Highway 15 North of downtown Dillwyn. They not only support teen pregnancy with the proceeds from this store, they also aid local families in distress who fall through the cracks for other help, when they make too much money to qualify for aid, but not enough to handle all the financial burdens that unexpected disasters or life events bring. They also support local schools and churches, and several missionaries. They donated several items to the dinner held for the local Dillwyn vet, Dr. Anderson, on April 11. They open their hearts and doors to those who help others.

In 2010, COPPC sent seven trailer loads of clothes and household items down to Louisiana during the flooding there. They helped over 500 local families and kept 15 of these from losing their homes. They help with utilities (oil, firewood, electric and phone bills), auto insurance, gas, auto repairs, and have given 4 cars to people in need, paid for prescriptions, and help with food and financial counseling. They provide whatever is needed for local people after a disaster like fire, provide family violence counseling, prenatal counseling and ongoing monitoring and help for pregnant teens. They aid women trying to make it on their own by returning to the work force, with outfits and shoes, and people who have been released from incarceration and need help in getting started again. They are asked to help families by social service workers when their agencies cannot help them. They have given us, as a rescue, carloads full of items for garage sales, and also provide items to volunteers in the community, who ask them for things to help people they do not even know, in THEIR programs.

COPPC is run by a mother and daughter team, Wanda McGhee and Stacy Greer, respectively, who do most the back-breaking work associated with sorting and positioning items in the shop, along with volunteers, in the thrift store. Wanda is at the cash register, and Stacy mostly works in the back with donations and crew 100% of all donations go back into the community to help others. When I first came to Virginia, Stacy was running a thrift store in Arvonia, across from the Post Office building. When she found out I was new to the area, she welcomed me with a gift set of salt and pepper shakers. She took the time to talk to me about the community and made me feel comfortable here. She is a wonderful asset to this multi-county community, and when I met her mother, I knew where Stacy learned to be who she is. They now work together in the thrift store on 15, and opened a second store in Palmyra, Lake Monticello area. COPPC will make pickups of items if you call in advance to make an appointment.

These two women are important to the communities they serve, and now are asking the community for help in putting in a warehouse to make intake of items both easier and more safe. They have been using large tractor trailers for storage, and have to move things in and out of them for sorting and storing. Stacy is now having medical problems from the stress on her body of this work, and it is important for us to step up to help them, as they help the entire community.

Please call 434-983-8643 to ask them how you can help and to get information on where to send them donations. They need your help. God knows they give their help to us every day.

Sandra Everson-Jones, acting CEO

Transport Buddies, Inc.

Central Virginia Humane Society-SPCA

Regional Transport Facility

Cumberland