West Liberty, W.Va. – Saturday, May 4, was graduation day on the hilltop for 363 West Liberty University students. Among these graduates were two student-athletes who were a part of the 2023-24 WLU men's basketball team, Christian Montague and Chaz Hinds. In addition to being key figures on this past season's team, these two have also been a familiar face at the West Liberty Lions Club Family Support Center. "We're extremely proud of Christian and Chaz for their work with the West Liberty Lions Club," stated West Liberty Director of Athletics Brad Forshey. "Their accomplishments on the court often overshadow real life accomplishments. These unselfish actions really express their true character, kindness, and generosity." The center opened August 20, 2022, for families in need through the support of the West Liberty community as well as West Liberty University students. Montague has been involved as the center's teen facilitator since its opening while Hinds got involved with the program last October.

Wendy Robinson, the center director, said that 90 percent of West Virginia is rural, so any available grants were going to larger cities. The West Liberty Lions Club Family Support Center serves Bethany, West Liberty and all the dirt road population of rural Ohio and Brooke Counties. This area has a large home-school population, so this is their socialization. Robinson states, "Socialization is huge when you live on dirt roads with the closest neighbors a mile away." According to her the teen group was formed around Montague's background of working several summers with teens in a juvenile department. He goes on to add "That's actually one of the reasons why I wanted to work with the teenagers around here." While Montague was one of the first staff members hired, Hinds was hired due to the growth of the program. Robinson indicates "The fact that they're young and can relate to these kids. It's amazing to watch." Both Montague and Hinds agree that it's been rewarding to help these kids. After being involved with these teens who are home-schooled, they have seen changes in some of the individuals who came into the program extremely nervous and then after a few months, the same individual won't stop talking.

Robinson states "Athletes are great role models for these kids," mentioning that athletes were the first on board for the program. Ultimately, volunteers have trickled in around Montague and Hinds. The entire track team volunteered for Halloween by manning various stations for the kids and the men's wrestling team hid Easter eggs for the program's Easter party. Watching the program grow with the involvement of more students from different departments is really exciting to see according to Robinson. She adds that they currently have an intern from Community Education plus the Art Therapy Department has been volunteering.

Montague and Hinds have been involved in numerous events at the center including a fall festival and field days which incorporated activities such as water slides and water balloon fights. A recent topic for the teen group has been a relationship class where these two mentors discussed how to act on social media, in relationships, plus with their family and parents. Additional informational sessions involved having international students talk about where they are from and what their culture is like, while whenever other athletic programs stop by, they share details about their respective sports. An event that was a non-teen group for the pair was the Pre-K Basketball Program where Montague and Hinds visited all the Pre-K's in the county to teach basketball skills. Not only did they work with Pre-K kids, but they also adapted their teaching skills to special needs children by getting down on the floor with those who are unable to walk and holding them up as they taught them how to hold a basketball.

Montague responds to the aspect of incorporating the leadership skills of being on the basketball team to being involved at the center, "Character is a big part of it. It really shows who you are and definitely takes some of those skill sets and brings it here." Hinds then elaborated about qualities evolving from goal setting, adding, "I think it's the same with basketball accountability. Making sure your teammate, your brother is okay on and off the floor. It's the same with these teenagers making sure they are good in school and out of school." Both have alluded to the concept that this program allows them to give back while supporting these teens in their community, but in retrospect these teens have come out and supported them also. Montague and Hinds agree that it's extremely exciting to see these kids at their games whether their checking balls, mopping the floor, or even just in plain sight under the free throw line with a 'you got this kind of smile,' followed with a 'hey you played awesome,' comment at the end of the game no matter what the outcome was. This of course is generated by the pair extending each of them a verbal 'hi' prior to the game and a responding smile from the free throw line. Hinds summarizes, "It's a lot of fun watching and just cool to see that support. Cool to see that we're there helping them and here they are helping us. It's cool how it just kind of goes around."

The pair is unified in their hope to have made a difference in at least one kid's life. The lasting impact is simply that hope that their influence positively affected the life of a child or even a family. The motto that they have delved into was to teach these kids life skills for succeeding later in life. Another philosophy they applied was to have fun doing it. Robinson validated the efforts of the pair stating that their impact has been huge because their young and these kids relate to them. The basis for the program was that these kids are home-schooled, and this is their socialization. All three reference how rewarding it is to watch the growth of these kids. Robinson says that she's been doing this a long time and still her favorite part is seeing a child/family on day one and then that same child/family on day 365. "You're like holy cow, what a difference."

The West Liberty Lions Club Family Support Center has no income guidelines. The program is for every single child, so no kid is left out. Every child and every family is welcome at the center. Robinson added the facts about the program, stating "Last year in our first year, we served 434 unique individuals, and this year we're pretty close to already doubling that." She then reiterated the point that, "There are a lot of people that live out in those ridges. It's a big area, but socialization is huge for when you live out on a dirt road and the closest neighbors live a mile away." The center has hosted several bake sales at WLU basketball games as the kids learn how to raise money on their own. Their goal this past year was to raise money for a fun end of the year trip to the Sand Castle. Anybody interested in donating to the West Liberty Lions Club Family Support Center, please contact Wendy Robinson at gwenspat1@gmail.com.