[caption id="attachment_30266" align="aligncenter" width="1980"]<img class="size-full wp-image-30266" src="https://mountainmedianews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2017/11/davis-stuart-breaks-ground.jpg" alt="" width="1980" height="987" /> Ground breaking on the Davis Stuart dining hall. The shovel-wielding groundbreakers: Davis Stuart Executive Director Dr. Mark Bissell (left), State Senator Stephen Baldwin, Davis Stuart Boardmember Delores Cook, Davis Stuart Boardmember and Shott Family Foundation representative Kathy Shott, Todd Boggess with Boggess Construction, and Eric Turner with Brown Construction. Also in attendance were the staff and friends of Davis Stuart and representatives from Premier Bank-Aaron Toothman and the Daywood Foundation-Bill Satterfield.[/caption] Davis Stuart broke ground on a centralized dining facility on Friday, Oct. 27 at their main campus in Lewisburg. “This represents a lot of work for our community, but most importantly, our children,” said Dr. Mark Bissell, Davis Stuart’s new executive director. Davis Stuart has been serving West Virginia’s youth since 1919. Today, they are a nonprofit organization providing residential therapy services to adolescents recovering from abuse, neglect, or behavioral issues. In the last fiscal year, Davis Stuart served 182 youth, many of whom come from households with limited access to proper nutrition. The new dining hall will seat 100 people, will cover 5,364 square feet, and be multi-functional. Family-style dining will still be emphasized but the dining hall will also have the capabilities to serve cafeteria style when needed for large groups. The dining hall will also be used for group meetings, movie nights, and other large events. A projector screen will be installed to accommodate such occasions. The kitchen will have a central work area in order to teach food prep to the residents. Davis Stuart does receive funding through West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR), but state and federal dollars cannot be used to reimburse the cost of the new centralized dining facility. Davis Stuart must rely on grants and donor benevolence to see this worthwhile project come to fruition. Donors can make an everlasting contribution to Davis Stuart and the new dining hall by purchasing a brick with a special message. “This is a great way to honor a loved one or keep your legacy alive for the next 98 years,” said Amanda Scott, Davis Stuart’s director of marketing and development. To find more information about Davis Stuart visit their website www.davis-stuart.org, or give them a call at 304-647-5577.
