Mission Trip: Mullens, WV 2020

Who are we and where are we going?

We are a group of Duquesne students that will be traveling to Mullens, West Virginia for a Spring Break Spiritan Mission Experience. Duquesne University has a long-standing relationship with the Appalachian communities of West Virginia, and this will be the 31st year a student group volunteers in Appalachia.

Mullens is a small coal-mining town in southern West Virginia. Despite a prosperous history of success with the coal industry, the community has dealt with job insecurity and difficult economic circumstances in recent times. We will be working with community leaders from the Mullens Opportunity Center (MOC) on projects aimed at the revitalization of this beautiful community that is filled with so many loving and gracious people.

What will we be doing?

Our goal is to help provide some resources that the community needs and to connect with the citizens of Mullens. This year we are raising money to help the people construct a community park. We will be assisting in the clearing of land so that they can move forward with their plans to create the park. The park is situated on the mouth of a river making it an easy place to launch canoes and kayaks. Their end goal is to create a park where people can enjoy themselves with family and friends. The hope is that this initiative will increase tourism therefore helping rebuild the community in the process.

At the same time, we want to develop authentic relationships and get to know individuals from Mullens on a personal level. We are incredibly grateful for our hosts for providing us with housing at the MOC. Their hospitality speaks to the generous heart and soul of the town of Mullens.

Some of our recent history

With the decline of coal, community leaders have expressed a need for alternative economic initiatives, and have begun to explore the agricultural industry.  Four years ago, Duquesne students and supporters helped finance and build a high-tunnel greenhouse at the MOC and have since helped with planting and maintenance. The greenhouse has been extremely successful and has resulted in a fresh produce market for the community throughout the summer months.

Additionally, the community is beginning to look into more initiatives to increase tourism. These initiatives include the start of a railroad museum, rental cabins, and stream beatification. Mullens is on the rise and we are very pleased to be a part of it!

Please donate and spread the word to family and friends!