Mountain of Hope, MHHS alumni present scholarships
Jun. 1—MOUNT HOPE — A nod to the past while peering ahead to the future.
On Saturday, May 27, the Mountain of Hope Organization and the Mount Hope High School Alumni Association presented scholarships to various students from the region either bound for college or already studying at the post-secondary level.
In a special scholarship awards presentation and picnic at Graney Memorial Park, MOHO president Rev. Charles William McKenney was among those welcoming the students, their parents, friends and school administrators. President and founder of the Mountain of Hope Organization, as well as pastor of the House of Prayer Church founded in New Jersey in 1958 by his late father-in-law, McKenney said the MOHO had its genesis at a time in his life during which he was struggling mightily.
A former director of operations for McDonald's in New Jersey, where he still resides, McKenney recalled striking out into the restaurant business on his own. He started out with a small, family-style restaurant, then got involved in the first inner-city Ponderosa Steakhouse in Jersey City, N.J. "From a lack of support, it went under," he said. "I lost everything, and God began to deal with me.
"I almost lost my mind. I had no income; my wife supported me. What happened was, it had even gotten to the point where I wanted to commit suicide because I thought I was a failure. That was when I had my first encounter with God."
He joined his father-in-law's church, and "the Mountain of Hope Organization was borne out of the death of Ponderosa Steakhouse."
"I had always wanted to come back home and do something for my hometown, because they were good to me," McKenney explained. McKenney was a football player and track runner from the Mount Hope High Class of 1966, and he turned to former state championship football teammates and band members of MHHS to help get the organization off the ground. "I'm so pleased at what we're doing; we're helping people. But the problem that I have is that this younger generation, they seem to don't want to give back. That's one of the things that I try to teach: We are one another's keeper, we've got to help one another. Hopefully they can learn from this."
MOHO held its first meeting in 2009 and became a 501c3 entity in 2010. The organization has presented scholarships to area students since the inception, and in 2023 presented nine awards of $1,500 each. Also, McKenney and MOHO Vice President Mickey Plumley point out that the group attempts to replenish awards to past recipients to the tune of $500 or more. "We really want to set an example of giving back," said McKenney. "We all need to show love. Sometimes love is an action word. There's more to love than just saying 'I love you; I want to do something.' You have to do it."
Students in southern West Virginia undergo an application process and can use the scholarships to attend any college or university they choose.
McKenney praised the organization's board members. "Everybody on our board are go-getters," he said, mentioning individuals such as Brenda Troitino and treasurer Jerry Adams.
Plumley, who has lived in Atlanta since 1989, grew up with McKenney and was in the same MHHS graduating class. He said of the organization and the scholarships, "It helps keep this town going. One of our objectives in granting these scholarships is to encourage the kids to come back into Appalachia once they get their education and pay back for what they've been given to further their education.
"For me personally, it's been an opportunity for me to pay this town back for a number of things they did for me when I was growing up as a teenager. I was left basically homeless. I lost my parents and family when I was in high school, and one of the community members took me in, and I finished out my high school career living with my best friend, which was kind of neat. The whole town, though, kind of adopted me, helped me get through, and I was fortunate enough to get a scholarship and go to WVU and play football. But if it hadn't been for the town itself, Lord knows how my life would have turned out."
The two men discussed the pending addition of a new page on the organization's website (https://mountainofhopeorganization.org/) entitled "Where are they now?" to catch up with past scholarship recipients.
MOHO officers and board of directors members include Charles McKenney, president; Mickey Plumley, vice president; Jerry Adams, treasurer; Carolyn Cheese, secretary; Philip Tissue, attorney; Stewart Payne, Jack Spadaro, Dennis Keffer, Scott Vargo, Frances Pritchett, Nathan Shelton and Brenda Troitino.
Scholarship recipients for 2023 from the Mountain of Hope Organization include:
—Riley Gray, Oak Hill, attends WVU majoring in nursing;
—Kalila Hames, Fayetteville, Oak Hill High, plans to attend WVU and major in communication sciences and disorders;
—Grace Logan, Fayetteville, Oak Hill High, plans to attend Concord University and major in teacher education;
—J.R. Maynor, Mount Hope, attends WVUIT majoring in civil engineering;
—Kenzie Parker, attends WVU in the dental program;
—Haylee Pugh, Glen Jean, Oak Hill High, plans to attend Fairmont State University and major in biology;
—Braylan Thomas, Oak Hill, Oak Hill High School, plans to attend BridgeValley Community and Technical College and major in diesel technology;
—Ethan Vargo-Thomas, Oak Hill, Oak Hill High School, plans to attend Fairmont State University and major in exercise physiology; and
—Ty Wilburn, Oak Hill, Oak Hill High, plans to attend WVU Institute of Technology and major in electrical engineering.
Scholarship recipients for 2023 from the Mount Hope High School Alumni Association included:
—Logan Lemon, plans to attend the Erma Byrd Learning Center and become a lineman;
—Grace Logan, Fayetteville, Oak Hill High, plans to attend Concord University and major in teacher education; and
—Ty Wilburn, Oak Hill, Oak Hill High, plans to attend WVU Institute of Technology and major in electrical engineering.
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