All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

College student hopes new wellness pantry can forge ties between WVWC, community

BUCKHANNON – The Consolidated Public Works Board approved a request to install a wellness pantry in a centralized location in the city as part of a West Virginia Wesleyan College student’s class project. 

Sydney McKinnon, a student enrolled in WVWC’s master’s in business administration program, attended the March 23 CPWB meeting to request permission to install the pantry at Jawbone Park.

“I’m in a project management class, and I wanted to use this to my advantage to be able to help people around here; this is my senior year, so I was really excited to take this class as an elective,” McKinnon said. “My idea for this class is to order a repurposed newspaper stand that has the phrase, ‘take what you need,’ on it, and it can be used to hold nonperishable food items, hygiene products, and even small clothing items for people in need here. I did a lot of research on the benefits of wellness pantries for people in a community, especially a close-knit one like ours, so I’m seeking approval to be able to install this unit somewhere in Buckhannon.”

No specific location was listed with McKinnon’s request, but her first idea was to place the pantry in Jawbone Park.

“I’m not here asking for money,” McKinnon said. “I have received my funding from my MBA program, and I’ve also talked to multiple Wesleyan organizations, such as sporting teams, Greek life, and even WE LEAD, that are ready and willing to help me keep these units stocked and put the pantry together for the community.”

“I have also been in close contact with the community engagement director there, and she has agreed to help me lead the organizations in stocking the unit after my part of the project is completed,” she added.

Part of her project is to utilize her marketing abilities to inform the community about the county’s new pantry and existing pantries.

“I want to be able to use my marketing tactic that I’ve learned from class to bring awareness to how much these can help in hopes that more people will be informed about the one I will be putting in and hopefully bring awareness to the ones that are already here,” McKinnon said. “I believe this project will benefit the campus and the community by bringing the two groups together and giving people a reason to give back to their community.”

The marketing campaign will include flyers and social media posts to inform people about the new pantry location.

“It can hold probably about $200 worth of groceries, and they come in multiple colors,” McKinnon said. “I was thinking about a neutral color, black or white, so it doesn’t stand out too much, but people still can see it easily in a certain place. I was thinking of putting it over by the pavilions where it’s covered just so people can sit down and eat if they need to – that’s just my first idea – but I’m open to any [suggestions].”

The CPWB voted to approve the placement of the pantry, but the Buckhanon Street Department will determine the best location at Jawbone Park.

Share this story:

Local Businesses

RECENT Stories

Upshur County Commission Agenda: July 17, 2025

The Upshur County Commission will meet on July 17, 2025, to address items listed on their published agenda.

Post 7 comes up short in tournament opener in 5-2 loss to Morgantown

Buckhannon Post 7 outhit top-seeded Morgantown but committed four costly errors and fell 5-2 in the opening round of the Area 2 American Legion postseason baseball tournament.

Summer basketball league continues week three play

In week three of the Upshur County Summer Basketball League, area teams competed at West Virginia Wesleyan College, with standout performances including Austin Upton’s 37 points for Corder Concrete Specialist and Kaiden Cutlip’s 34 for WV Split Rail.

Nancy Lea Lantz

Nancy Lea Lantz, 74, of Philippi, passed away July 13, 2025, and is remembered as a devoted homemaker, church member, and camper, survived by her children, relatives, friends, and her dog Tiny.

Buckhannon awards $50,000 in opioid settlement funds to Wesleyan for addiction counseling scholarships

City council approved allocating $50,000 in opioid settlement funds to West Virginia Wesleyan College for scholarships to support local addiction counseling education, aiming to combat drug addiction in the Buckhannon area.

Faith Baptist Church to host Vacation Bible School from July 21-25

Faith Baptist Church will host a Vacation Bible School for kindergarten through sixth grade children July 21-25, featuring nightly sessions from 6 to 8 p.m. and a family fun night on the final evening.
Summer basketball

Summer basketball league tips off week three

The Upshur County Summer Basketball League completed its third week at West Virginia Wesleyan College, with standout performances from Evan Parr, Josh Trent, Quentin Cooley, Rayden Triplett, and several games decided by forfeits.

Small Business Development Center names Lyla Grandstaff as new coach serving the Buckhannon area

The West Virginia Small Business Development Center has appointed Lyla Grandstaff, an experienced business consultant and educator, as the new business coach serving Buckhannon and surrounding counties.

Upshur Parish House kicks off annual backpack program to support local students

The Upshur Parish House has launched its annual Back-to-School Backpack Program, seeking donations of new school supplies and hygiene items to help local students return to class prepared and confident.