West Virginia Executive Winter 2019 | Page 35

Impacting the Community Even though they weren’t born in West Virginia, Hitchcock and Yandura exude the characteristics of true Mountaineers with their strong work ethic, pride for the Mountain State and enthusiasm to re-energize their community. They are more than just entrepreneurs, real estate agents and rental property owners—they are ambassadors for the state, inspiring the locals and encouraging outsiders to find their own paradise in West Virginia. Over the past five years, Hitchcock and Yandura have encouraged other entre- preneurs to bring their businesses to the area, including Sally Weaver, another Washington, D.C., transplant who started the Firefly Inn, a modern four-room motel in the heart of Wardensville. “We love to connect property owners and investors on Main Street with people who want to start a business, and if asked, we are there to give new business owners advice,” says Hitchcock. One piece of advice they offer to up- and-comers is how to be successful in West Virginia. Given that the post just celebrated five years in operation and has shown a 5 percent sales increase year after year with 2018 hitting 11 percent, they are a reliable source for how to find success in a small, rural town. “Our success comes from an ability and a willingness to pick up, move here full time and say, ‘We’re going to make this happen,’” says Yandura. “That is the biggest impetus for our success.” Empowering the Next Generation Seeing a need to create opportuni- ties and employment for local youth, the couple, in partnership with the JDL Foundation, helped launch the Wardens- ville Garden Market in 2016 on a 100- acre property. The project is a farm and food-based educational nonprofit dedi- cated to expanding opportunities for local Appalachian youth. The original goal of this venture was to broaden their knowledge by teaching them about running and sustaining a small business and offer- ing opportunities to pursue new career paths through classes and scholarships. Hitchcock and Yandura were aware that in the past, economic development in Appalachia led to profits for outside com- panies with little benefit to the local com- munity. Because of this, they decided to flip that construct and create a nonprofit entity that would use proven business practices and the power of market demand to create sustainable profits that would benefit the community: opportunities for local youth, activities to protect the natural environment and revenue to support the operation. The model seems to be working. Since 2016, the first full year of operation, the on-site bakery and produce market has raised one-third of the overall project budget each year through sales. From a job creation standpoint, what started out as a hope to create 10 jobs for local young people has now created more than 70 jobs with more than 40 of them filled by local high school students. The project has also expanded its year-round edu- cation, enrichment and career-readiness programs and has added free science, technology, reading, engineering, arts and math—or STREAM—learning op- portunities and camps for local middle and high school students. The project is now in its third year under Hitchcock and Yandura’s manage- ment. The JDL Foundation has purchased the 100-acre property used to launch the project and has made a commitment to provide ongoing support. “This has bloomed into so much more than we originally thought,” says Yandura. “To me, it really inspires a great hope for the future. One thing that has always sad- dened me is this great debate for a young person on whether they should stay in West Virginia or leave. We don’t want them to leave, but the reality of it is we can’t always keep them here. We have to say, ‘Hey, if you want to leave, take these skills with you so you’re really successful. But you know what? You could also stay and apply those skills here in West Virginia.’” As this power couple who has adopt- ed West Virginia helps revitalize and make a positive impact on their small town, some still question how two people who have lived in large cities ended up living along these country roads. Yandura narrows it down to two things: the natural beauty and the people. “The natural beauty in West Virginia is amazing, and so are the people,” he says. “I have been blown away by the young people here—how smart, tough and resil- ient they are. We want to see opportunity for young people and for others here like we see elsewhere in the country.”  WWW.WVEXECUTIVE.COM Photo by Kelsey Kneeland. Photo by Rob Edwards. Photo by Margo Pflegler. Photo by Julie Waeshe. WINTER 2019 33