2025

Historic YWCA in Wheeling undergoing major transformation for enhanced privacy and comfort

Wheeling, WV — The YWCA in Wheeling’s multimillion-dollar project continues to progress with updated facilities and rooms to come.

The project, which totals a little more than 10 million dollars, was originally set to be completed by November but has now been pushed back to March. Executive Director Lori Jones says a lot will be changed in the 119-year-old building.

“Every piece of plumbing, every electrical wire has been changed, as you can see as we walk through, we’ve added sixteen bathrooms in the building, instead of a big gang bathroom but now it’s a jill and jill so everyone has a bedroom, a bathroom, a bedroom,” said Jones.

They wanted to make some of these changes after the pandemic and give people who stay more privacy.

This is the first major renovation they’ve had, and they can expect some relocation of services throughout the building—including where the old swimming pool used to be.

“We’ve now covered the swimming pool, that’s where our boutique is moving downstairs on top of the swimming pool and instead of the boutique on the first floor where the soup kitchen used to be, I think people probably remember that,” said Jones. “It is now a health and wellness learning center for us.”

The new rooms, which can house both women and children, will be built like small apartments. As they get closer to reopening, they are also accepting donations from the community.

“In the future when we do open back up, we’ll be accepting furniture, pots and pans so when people start over, they have things to start over with,” said Jones.

Belmont County Savings Bank has been helping to fund gaps in the project, and Jones says she’s looking forward to its completion to continue assisting those throughout the community and making it feel like home.

“After 113 years of wear and tear on the building, it wasn’t the most comfortable place for people to stay, now it really will be so just because they’ve been victimized and had to leave my home for whatever reason, now they’ll be comfortable in a welcoming place to stay,” Jones said.

The project is scheduled to be completed in the spring, but no specific date has been set yet.

https://wtov9.com/news/local/historic-ywca-in-wheeling-undergoing-major-transformation-for-enhanced-privacy-and-comfort#

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2025

$10 Million YWCA Wheeling Building Renovation To Stretch Into Spring

WHEELING — A $10 million renovation at YWCA Wheeling’s downtown building has been going on since May 2023, and it’s now anticipated to continue until spring.

The work was supposed to have been completed two months ago, but construction now isn’t expected to be finished until at least March, according to executive director Lori Jones.

The good news is that residents displaced by the construction — who have been living out of makeshift bedrooms in the building’s gymnasium since October — could return to newly redone sleeping areas perhaps as soon as the end of this coming week, she added.

Delays resulted as some of the subcontractors had difficulty with finding enough plumbers and electricians to get needed work done, Jones explained.

There had been plans to have separate crews work day and evening shifts, but there weren’t enough employees for a second shift.

“But we are within two weeks of moving people back onto the fifth floor,” she said. “There are some electrical things that they are trying to fix.”

Jones said she expected city inspectors to soon be on site to give their final approval for occupancy of the new areas.

“Maybe by (next) Monday we can start moving people back in,” she continued.

Work delays affected the YWCA Wheeling’s tax credits, but carrying the project into 2025 “made sense” so the YWCA wouldn’t lose credits for work not yet completed, Jones explained.

There is still a security and intercom system that needs to be installed, and the completion of some of the bathrooms, she continued. There are ventilation pieces that need to be put in, and many areas that need to be painted.

Fourth-floor bedrooms need to be finished, and those fifth-floor bedrooms that have just been completed need a good cleaning before they can be occupied.

“It’s that stuff that keeps us from being complete,” Jones said.

Meanwhile, the new heaters and radiators in the building are working very well, as is the new elevator, she reports. The YWCA Wheeling also plans to start work this year on a second facility — “Cathy’s Haven” — that will serve as a place for women recently incarcerated and those recovering from drug addiction.

Jones expects that project to go more quickly as it will be a new build at 24th and Chapline streets in Wheeling.

The popular YWCA Wheeling boutique is presently closed at the main building. The building’s former pool has been filled in to make way for a future boutique space in the basement, but that area is presently being used as a staging area as construction continues throughout the building.

The boutique won’t reopen until after construction is completed, Jones said.

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2025

YWCA Wheeling Sheds Light On Human Trafficking Awareness Month

WHEELING, W.Va. (WTRF) — The YWCA of Wheeling is committed to fighting human trafficking and advocating for victims.

During human trafficking awareness month, the YWCA is highlighting the successes of its Survivors of Trafficking Empowerment Program or STEP.

Human trafficking remains a prevalent problem for the Ohio Valley, where thousands fall victim to exploitation every year.

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, there have been more than 23,000 reported cases of trafficking in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. 

“Human trafficking is happening here. It’s happening in your community, in your neighborhood. We are wanting to take the passion and make it impact so people will know what to do, look for the signs and be a part of the solution.”Stacy Gilson – Founder, Ignite Hope

The STEP Program offers a range of services, including providing individualized plans to address each survivor’s needs, assistance in navigating the legal system and educating the community and law enforcement to identify and respond to trafficking in their neighborhoods.  

“One way you can support the survivors here is the personal care items. We often have special requests and needs. Another way is to give to the scholarship fund. This is a huge resource and empowers women to get a higher education or learn skills that would enable them to go get a job or career of their choice.”Lisa Indermuhle – STEP Coordinator, YWCA

Human trafficking statistics do not tell the full story, since many cases remain hidden.

Victims are often trapped by fear, stigma and lack of resources, but through the STEP program, the YWCA hopes it can bring a lifeline to survivors.

https://www.wtrf.com/top-stories/ywca-of-wheeling-launches-step-program-to-combat-human-trafficking-and-empower-survivors
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2025

Wheeling March Amplifies Martin Luther King Jr.’s Message of Hope

WHEELING — Despite the cold temperatures and snow on the ground, community members gathered at the top of Stone Boulevard to march through the Friendly City in remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy.

The MLK Celebration March kicked off Sunday’s celebrations in King’s memory. City officials, local faith leaders and residents gathered at The Windmill to begin the march that proceeded downtown along Chapline Street and concluded at West Virginia Northern Community College.

Ron Scott Jr., Wheeling MLK Committee co-chair, said the turnout was “pretty good” despite the weather.

“If we had three people at the march today, I was going to applaud them just for coming out,” Scott said. “The fact that the weather is so bad, and we still had a good turnout says a lot about how people respect the ideas of Dr. King.”

Wheeling Councilwoman Connie Cain, who participated in all of Sunday’s MLK festivities, said the turnout for the march demonstrated the dedication residents had to honor King.

She said it was significant that residents of all backgrounds, not just Black community members, gathered to recognize MLK Day.

“It’s very important that we recognize our forefathers who have gone through the struggle to get us where we are today,” Cain said. “Dr. Martin Luther King brought people together and made great strides for us through his voice and his actions, so it’s very important to represent his legacy.”

Wellsburg Mayor Dan Dudley also made the trip to Wheeling to join in the celebrations. Dudley noted he has been attending the Wheeling MLK Day march for “at least” the last 30 years, adding he used to bring his children and their Sunday school classmates to the march.

For Dudley, marching through the streets of Wheeling reminded him of when his older brothers and sisters had to attend school in Wheeling and not their hometown of Wellsburg due to busing.

“My older brothers and sisters had to be bused all the way from Wellsburg to Wheeling to go to school, so they had a lot of friends from Wheeling that are still like family to me today,” Dudley said. “I love Wheeling because I’m comfortable with so many of the people here. A lot of the older buildings that were familiar to me on Chapline Street are no longer there, but I’m glad I can still enjoy the great celebration here.”

After the march, community members gathered at WVNCC for the presentation of the MLK and Rosa Parks Awards. Two of the five recipients, Rosa Parks Award winner Tressie Fitzhugh and MLK Award winner Donald Walters, were honored during the ceremony.

Scott said Fitzhugh and Walters were being recognized as two community members who “paved the way” for people like him who were able to “reap the benefits” of their public service.

“These are two folks who have contributed so much and it’s really amazing for us to get the opportunity at this time in their lives to honor them for everything that they’ve done before,” Scott said. “Most folks think of this award as recognizing what someone has done for the community lately, but we’re honoring these two as an overall recognition of what they’ve done for our community over many years.”

Wanda Morgan, Wheeling MLK Committee co-chair, introduced Fitzhugh and Walters during the ceremony. Both winners received the Octogenarian Certificate of Appreciation from the MLK committee last year. Morgan noted this meant the pair had endured the “evils” of Jim Crow laws, segregation, voting restrictions for black voters and “other oppressive methods put in place to keep African Americans down.”

“Both of these individuals exemplify what being a silent but loud figure means,” Morgan said. “When I say silent but loud, I mean they don’t say much, but when they do, they speak loud. Both have persevered in life and become successful leaders in the community.”

Following the awards presentation, an MLK Dinner was held at 4 p.m. at the Soup Kitchen of Greater Wheeling.

A second ceremony at 6 p.m. during the Interfaith Prayer Service and Awards Presentation at Bethlehem Apostolic Temple honored the other MLK and Rosa Parks Awards recipients.

At the service that concluded Sunday’s events, Bishop James M. Agnew III of the Tree of Life Church of Martins Ferry and the Rev. Kenny Hardway, Senior Minister at the First Christian Church in Wheeling, received MLK Awards and Sister Carmella Campione received the Rosa Parks Award.

Fitzhugh has served the community through her career, faith and community service. She served clients enduring inequalities and disparities at Catholic Charities for 15 years. Fitzhugh has also held several positions as a member of the Macedonia Baptist Church and has been a faithful and active member of both the Deborah Temple 125 of the Elks and the Eastern Stars, organizations based on community service.

Walters, a member of the Elks Panhandle Lodge 74, is the oldest active member of the Black Elks in West Virginia. Despite being in his nineties, Walters still attends meetings and is active in the community, including supporting all the community service events that Panhandle Lodge 74 sponsors.

Agnew has been a faith leader in the upper Ohio Valley since he felt the call to ministry in 1984. He served at Shiloh Temple as a Sunday school teacher, assistant choir director in the brotherhood, president and vice president of the Young People’s Union and a trustee. Agnew currently pastors the Tree of Life Apostolic Church and Family Worship Center, which he and his wife founded. Agnew was the first African American elected to the Martins Ferry school board in 2021 and earned the same distinction when he was elected to the Martins Ferry council.

Hardway has shared his passion for teaching while making the rounds of First Christian congregations in Wheeling. As the Regional Youth Minister, Hardway strengthened his mission of advocacy and serving the disadvantaged. Harway has also been identified as the “heart” of the MLK Celebration Committee through offering advice and welcoming groups to use his church space for meetings and other gatherings.

Campione, a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph for 70 years, has served the community through her faith and her career as a teacher and principal in many schools throughout West Virginia. She is also a longstanding member of the Wheeling MLK Celebration Committee, a member of the executive community for the West Virginia Faith Table and a member of the board of Women In New Directions, a local YWCA program.

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