CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — 12 News is always looking to celebrate local volunteers and this month, the Miley Legal Group chose the volunteer it wishes to celebrate for October, CW Dent.
CW Dent started volunteering as the leader of Clarksburg’s Young Men’s Association (YMA), located at the P.W.A. of Harrison County and has been there since December 2022 and has said that his passion is in helping the youth. A parent of a current YMA member came to Dent and told him he would be a perfect fit to help the young men, so he took the opportunity as their new leader.
The YMA consists of 15 young men, including Dent’s own sons, who help in the community by doing things such as:
- Hosting free dinners
- Clothing drives
- Giving out hygiene packs
Dent even lets the young men vote on how they want to dedicate their time volunteering.
While discussing why he wanted to help with the YMA, Dent told 12 News that adults are the first to see all the bad that goes on in the world. He said that he thinks it is important for these kids to see what helping and doing the right things for others is all about.
“I think when you teach kids at an early age right from wrong and that helping others can also help you. I think it engrains something inside of them, you know? And like, I think it’s something that they’ll be able to look back on when they get a little bit older and they say, ‘I remember those times, when I went out and got to do those community dinners,’ and maybe it’ll help them continue in early adulthood doing the next right thing for other people,” Dent said.
Dent also travels throughout the state to speak at high schools on drug addiction. He has struggled with addiction himself, but has been clean for more than four years. By sharing his story with the youth, he said he hopes that it will spread awareness and give the kids hope of their own. You can read Dent’s story here.
The YMA is selling candied apples until Oct. 31 to try and raise money to cook and serve a community dinner with Friends Feeding Friends on Nov. 1. Money and donations could also be used to help in getting clothing and hygiene packs together to distribute to the community.
If interested in joining the Young Men’s Association, you can do so by messaging the organization’s Facebook page. While there, you can also donate to their fundraisers or item collections.
Do you know a volunteer that you would like to see on our Celebrating Volunteers segment? You can nominate somebody by visiting this website.
