SWVA leaders advocate for community resilience projects in D.C.

By Emma Kelly | August 1, 2025 |
A "Welcome to Dante, Virginia" sign stands in front of a small brick building with a dark metal roof, set against a backdrop of forested hills with autumn foliage. The sky is clear and blue, and a few other buildings are visible in the background.

On an extraordinarily hot, humid day in July, three Southwest Virginia community leaders climbed their way around Capitol Hill. Leabern Kennedy, Vice Mayor of Pound, Linda Kiser of Dante and Melissa Gillenwater of Dungannon had endured the eight-hour drive from the other end of the state the previous day and were now making their way…

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How A Skate Park Became A Long-Term Disaster Relief Hub

By Contributing Writers | April 9, 2025 |
Zionville Ramp Co. filled with supplies as Stateline began to grow on Oct. 9. Photo courtesy of Stateline Resource Station.

What started as a simple act of checking in with each other after Hurricane Helene quickly turned into State Line Resource Station, a grassroots relief effort that has since provided thousands of people with food, supplies and long-term recovery assistance, operating out of Zionville Ramp Co., an indoor skate park in Trade, Tennessee.

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