Charleston Catholic Middle girls’ basketball team plants smiles this holiday season
By Matthew Young, RealWV
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – “I’m incredibly proud of our girls. Basketball teaches teamwork on the court, but projects like this show how powerful that teamwork can be off the court.”
That’s what Charleston Catholic Middle School (CCMS) Girls’ Basketball Coach Keshia Butler said of her team’s work on Saturday, at the YWCA Sojourner’s Shelter for Women and Families. Located at 1418 Washington Street East in Charleston, the shelter serves as a refuge for single women, families, and men with children encountering homelessness.
In partnership with both the West Virginia Landscape & Nursery Association (WVNLA), and Charleston-based Valley Gardens, the CCMS girls’ basketball team provided the finishing touches on the property’s recent landscape-restoration project by planting some 800 tulip bulbs on the grounds of the shelter.
“This project gives our players a chance to serve others, show compassion, and understand the impact they can have in our community,” Butler added.
Funded by the WVNLA, and led by Jason Testman, landscape architect with Valley Gardens, as well as board member of the WVNLA, the original phases of the project saw crews repair and restore the property’s nearly 20-year-old paver stones, and install a landscaped outdoor patio and seating area. A large playground and paved courtyard were also installed.
Sojourner’s Director Jabbar Thomas expressed her appreciation for the WVNLA, Valley Gardens, and the CCMS girls’ basketball team, saying, “The generosity of our region is deeply appreciated.”
“This landscaping restoration and bulb planting is a huge gift for all of us,” Thomas added.
“Echoing the sentiment was YWCA Charleston CEO Sonya Hairston, who said, “This project is more than beautification – it is a reminder to every woman, child, and family who walks through our doors that hope is still blooming for them.”
“The care shown by Valley Gardens, WVNLA, and these remarkable young students demonstrates the heart of this community. Their gift will greet our clients every spring with color, dignity, and the simple joy of feeling seen and supported.”
Valley Gardens is located at 1109 Piedmont Rd., in Charleston, and can be reached at 304-342-2255.
For those experiencing homelessness, or needing other assistance, YWCA Sojourner’s Homeless Shelter for Women and Families can be reached at 304-340-3594, or by visiting ywcacharleston.org.
