THE FIRST YEARS
Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc.
A LEGACY OF CARE Celebrating 50 years of service
In 1974, a small nutrition program for older adults laid the foundation for Mountain Empire Older Citizens. Over the past five decades, MEOC has grown into a multifaceted organization that serves all ages and has profoundly impacted the lives of countless individuals in the region.
At its core, MEOC’s mission has always been clear: to prevent the unnecessary institutionalization of older adults and help them maintain their independence in their own homes for as long as safely possible. MEOC puts food on tables, ensures homes are warm and safe, brings people together for socialization and offers guidance through complex bureaucratic processes, among many other things.
MEOC has stayed true to its original mission and also expanded its reach and services in remarkable ways. Today, the agency is more than just a service provider for older adults seeking to age in place. It is a cornerstone of support for the entire community. As the region’s public transit provider and operator of programs like the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, the Mountain Laurel Cancer Support and Resource Center and the Southwest Virginia Children’s Advocacy Center, MEOC has become synonymous with care, support and innovation.
In this June 8, 1980, photo, Executive Director Marilyn a plaque proclaiming him southwest Virginia’s oldest
As we celebrate 50 years of MEOC’s extraordinary journey, this commemorative history pays tribute to the visionaries, leaders, staff, volunteers and community members who have been a part of this incredible story. Join us as we reflect on the past, celebrate the present and look forward to a future filled with continued service and dedication.
FRIENDS, RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS,
WE THOUGHT OF THOSE WE SERVED AS NOT AS CLIENTS.
Maxwell presents Muff Jones of Big Stone Gap with citizen. Mr. Jones is surrounded by family and friends
WE WANTED EVERYONE TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY.
— MARILYN PACE MAXWELL, MEOC Executive Director Emeritus
Marilyn Pace Maxwell was the driving force in founding and leading Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc., from its inception in 1974 until her retirement in 2012.
Initially hired as Dilenowisco’s first gerontology planner, Maxwell guided the creation and growth of MEOC as the area agency on aging for Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton. Maxwell shaped MEOC’s mission and impact in the region through her commitment to communitydriven service and advocacy for older persons.
THE BEGINNING: MARILYN PACE MAXWELL
BY JUDY WILLIS Retired MEOC Employee of 34 Years
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CitizensExecutiveDirectorEmeritusMarilynPace
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Beginning at the very beginning, as a good story should, Marilyn talked about how MEOC originated with a planning grant to Dilenowisco, an educational cooperative serving Dickenson, Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton. Their offices were in Norton on the old Norton Elementary School site on Virginia Avenue, where the city park is now.
The Older Americans Act (OAA), passed in 1965, called for the creation of a federal Administration on Aging, state units on aging and area agencies on aging across the nation. Before the OAA, there had never been any real federal or state emphasis on aging. The OAA would provide funding to support older persons living independently at home with the goal of allowing them to remain in the community as long as possible. However, for an agency to receive funding, it first had to go through a one-year planning process.
In 1973, Dilenowisco received a planning grant from the Administration on Aging to administer a needs assessment of the region’s elderly residents and to develop an organization to serve as the region’s area agency on aging. Lee County educator A. J. Hatmaker, an original MEOC board of directors member and current board chair, wrote and oversaw the grant.
In January 1974, Marilyn, then an assistant professor of social welfare at Clinch Valley College of the University of Virginia (now UVa-Wise), was hired as the gerontology planner.
Marilyn had come to Clinch Valley College (CVC) to teach in the Social Welfare Department as part of a two-year grant, but the college had been notified the funding would not be renewed and chose not to pick up her position.
The job at Dilenowisco seemed perfect for her. She possessed a master of social work degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she had concentrated in community organization and planning. She decided to apply as the gerontology planner and approached CVC Chancellor Joseph Smiddy to tell him of her plans. She remembers how supportive he was in agreeing to allow her to begin working at Dilenowisco if she got the job while still honoring her teaching commitment to CVC for the remaining semester of the grant.
Marilyn expressed how important Mr. Smiddy would continue to be to MEOC over the years. He remained supportive of its work for as long as he lived, including serving on its board of directors for many years.
Before moving on, I asked Marilyn, an Alabama native, how she came to CVC. She explained that she was living in Chapel Hill, loved being in school there and loved the town itself. She thought she might possibly be interested in teaching.
One day, a friend came into the bookstore where she was working and told her about a position that had just become available at CVC in Wise, Va. Contact was made, and she was invited for an interview.
There, she met Dr. Helen Lewis, the woman who has been called the Grandmother of Appalachian Studies and the person who was to be the greatest influence on Marilyn’s life and work. She recounted how she knew immediately how much she would learn from Dr. Lewis and how much Helen would help her.
Over a lifetime, not just during Marilyn’s tenure at
The late Joseph Smiddy, Clinch Valley College’s first chancellor (and an old-time banjo picker), was a great supporter of MEOC, both in his role at the college and as a member of the agency’s board of directors for many years.
Nancy Jeffrey Smith, one of MEOC’s earliest employees, was hired by Dilenowisco in the early 1970s to launch a nutrition program for older adults. Smith, pictured here at MEOC’s office in Wise circa 1984, was a longtime staff member at the agency.
CVC, Helen remained a dear friend and mentor who passed on her commitment to and understanding of the region and how to view the work.
THE FIRST SERVICES
When Marilyn reported for duty at Dilenowisco, she found Nancy Jeffrey (now Smith) already working, with an impending deadline, on getting a nutrition program up and running. Dilenowisco had received some OAA money to begin a nutrition program and had a short time to do it because they hadn’t spent money they only recently learned they had, Marilyn recalled with a laugh. Immediate attention had to be paid to meeting this deadline, and Marilyn and Nancy began working together as a team.
They decided to start a home delivered meals program in Norton. With her CVC social work connections, Marilyn brought in social work students to help conduct needs assessments and locate people needing this service.
The partnership with the college, she said, was tremendous, and she is still very proud of those students who were so capable and confident. Marilyn was not much older than the students, and she marveled that they all thought there was nothing they couldn’t do! She said they were a team centered on need and on listening and learning from people.
After getting a home delivered meals program started, Marilyn and Nancy turned their attention to congregate meals. The first nutrition site met at the old rescue squad building on Kentucky Avenue in Norton. Marilyn emphasized how much credit for making it happen belongs to Mrs. Mae French, who began working as assistant to the site manager at age 81 and worked there for 17 years. She retired at the age of 98.
Over a lifetime, not just during Marilyn’s tenure at CVC, Helen Lewis remained a dear friend and mentor who passed on her commitment to and understanding of the region and the work.
A.J. HATMAKER
A founding pillar
A.J. Hatmaker, an original MEOC Board of Directors member and current chair, has been a driving force since the organization’s inception. In 1973, he wrote and oversaw a crucial grant that led to MEOC’s creation.
In 1994, the MEOC Board of Directors honored Mrs. French when they established the Mae French Outstanding Older Worker Award. The award is given annually to the older employee who best exemplifies the qualities of dedication and service to the community demonstrated by Mrs. French, qualities which, Marilyn said, are the very soul and spirit of MEOC.
In those early days, public hearings were conducted to explain the
A.J.’s dedication has been unwavering, serving as the longest-sitting board member since its incorporation in 1976. His visionary leadership guided the agency to become a vital resource for older adults in the region. His legacy is not just in his tenure but in the lives touched and the community strengthened by his steadfast commitment to MEOC’s mission.
MAE FRENCH
A model of service
The late Mae French earned much credit for the success of MEOC’s first congregate nutrition site in Norton. Mrs. French started as an assistant to the site manager in 1976 at age 81 through the Green Thumb Program. She worked at MEOC for 17 years until her retirement at 98. Her commitment to MEOC’s mission was so profound that, in 1994, the organization established the Mae French Outstanding Older Worker Award in her honor. This award recognizes individuals who exemplify Mrs. French’s dedication and service to the community, which are at the heart of MEOC. The award is presented each year during MEOC’s annual older worker luncheon.
MEOC’s central office staff, led by Executive Director Marilyn Pace (standing in the back), is pictured around 1980. Others pictured, left to right, are Lucy Mullins, Eve Tackett, Wanda Mullins and Deputy Director Dennis Horton.
Older Americans Act and assess the region’s needs. Marilyn remembers that people came out in droves to tell their stories.
Older persons attending those hearings agreed that meals and transportation were important. But they also brought their power bills and spoke eloquently from the heart, expressing that they didn’t know how they would make it through the winter, how they would purchase heating fuel or pay their electric bills and still have food to eat. Marilyn recalled that there were no federal or state programs to assist with heating at that time.
In response, Esther Congo, a local businesswoman, took it upon herself to contact other business owners and solicit donations to help older persons on fixed incomes with their heating bills. She brought the money she collected to MEOC and said, “We need to do something, and I have this money. Take it and figure out what to do with it.”
That collection, Marilyn said, was the start of MEOC’s Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly, a fund that now assists over 1,000 older persons annually. MEOC built on that first collection and, in 1976,
began hosting a walkathon to raise money for the fund. Participation has been phenomenal over the years, and Marilyn gives credit to caring people in southwest Virginia who need a way to work together to channel their generosity. The walkathon has allowed them to be active and involved in supporting a cause in which they believe.
She further expressed her gratitude for the coverage given those early hearings by Greg Edwards and The Coalfield Progress and other local newspapers. This coverage, she said, was very instrumental in some of the organization’s early successes.
She stressed that she always operated from an asset-based community development approach; i.e., she looked at the community’s strengths and resources — the positives — that could be leveraged to address its needs. “It was such a joy to me,” she said, “to work with such mission-oriented, community-driven coworkers. We never went after funding just to have funding. We were always mindful of the specific needs expressed.”
BECOMING THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING
Marilyn explained that as the gerontology planner, she was required to determine if any existing human services agencies were interested in becoming the area agency on aging. It turned out there was no interest, so it was decided that the agency would be organized as a private, nonprofit corporation.
They found a place in Wise, and Mountain Empire Older Citizens, after a process of getting the endorsement of county governments, became the area agency on aging serving Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton. Lawrence Sheppard of Pound served as the first board chair.
Marilyn had nothing but praise for MEOC boards over the years. They have, she said, always worked as a team and were always centered on mission. Never did partisan politics play a role.
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
One of the earliest services, in addition to meals and the emergency fuel fund, was transportation. Transportation was key to service delivery. Meals had to be delivered and older people brought to congregate meals sites. This was complicated by the geography of southwest Virginia and by how remote and scattered the homes of the individuals to be served were.
MEOC acquired Older Americans Act monies to buy vans and began to work with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and today has a fleet of 76 vehicles.
In 2021, MEOC added to its public transportation options when it
ESTHER CONGO Fuel fund pioneer
Esther Congo was instrumental in the creation of MEOC’s Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly. In response to the pressing needs of older adults struggling with heating bills, Esther rallied local businesses to donate funds. She brought this collection to MEOC, kick-starting a fund that now assists over 1,000 older persons annually. Her efforts led to the establishment of a walkathon in 1976 to further support the fund. This annual event continues today, a testament to the impact one person with compassion and a drive to help others can make.
began to operate METGo!, a microtransit, Uber-like service with a smartphone app, in the Wise and Norton area. In April 2024, METGo! added a second service zone for Big Stone Gap and Appalachia.
MEOC’s transit service has gone from one van to national and international recognition. “The evolution of our transportation service is remarkable,” Marilyn said. “One of our greatest stories. No one could have envisioned going from one van to a national model for rural transportation.”
COMMUNITY TRUST & REPUTATION
In keeping with its commitment to fulfill the needs of people in the community, when in 1977 parts of Appalachia, including Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia, were declared a federal disaster area due to flooding, MEOC sent representatives to every federal emergency site in its service area to take applications and provide assistance.
MEOC, Marilyn said, was there to do the jobs no one else was doing. Every older person coming to the sites stopped to talk to MEOC’s representatives. She stressed the importance of MEOC’s partnership with the Job Corps, which sent people into affected homes to clean. Then, as shelters began to close, MEOC found lodging and paid for hotel rooms for those whose homes
had been damaged.
As a result of this work, she was invited by then Congressman William C. Wampler to testify before the House Select Committee on Aging about the disaster, successes and failures of the response, and lessons learned as a result. The topic of the hearing was “Weather Disasters and the Elderly.”
It was because of MEOC’s reputation in the community and the trust with which it is regarded that when a Children’s Advocacy Center was to be established in our area, MEOC was approached as the host agency.
MEOC was already beginning to work with families with children through its KinCare program, the need for which was discovered as MEOC care coordinators and others went into more and more homes where grandparents were raising grandchildren.
She emphasized the importance
of the support and help of then Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney Joey Carico.
In fact, Marilyn said that, from the beginning, local, state and federal representatives have been of critical importance and have always been able to work in partnership. She observed that things work differently in rural areas than in urban settings.
She laughed as she remembered an episode from early in her career. She and others from MEOC had attended a meeting in Richmond that included a workshop on how to talk to your legislators.
The how-to included calling their office for an appointment, getting together your succinct remarks to use your time wisely, and sending a follow-up thank-you letter.
She recalled how she and Dr. John Buchanan, a Virginia senator from our region who served on the powerful Senate Finance
One of the things I was most struck by is how gracious Marilyn is in her praise of and appreciation for all the people and organizations who had a part in the birth and growth of MEOC. When she spoke of how important the influence of Dr. Helen Lewis had been for her, I knew just how she felt. Individuals who came to MEOC and found a home here feel that way about Marilyn. We sensed that we had met the person who was going to have an outsized influence on our lives and work. We knew how much she had to teach us about service and advocacy. She had the ability to kindle a fire in those around her, to frame a vision as attainable and to achieve buy-in from both staff and cooperating organizations. She was an extraordinary leader, one under whose leadership I feel privileged to have served. — Judy Willis
Committee, met for talks. A phone call would determine when he would be at the Wise post office, and they would meet there to discuss requests and concerns.
MEOC also enjoyed the support of local Virginia Del. Ford Quillen, who served throughout the 70s and 80s and was a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “It was certainly fortuitous for our planning efforts to have those two representing our region on such powerful committees in our beginning days,” Marilyn said.
She added that we were blessed by the concern and actions of those who followed them during her tenure, including William Wampler, Jr., Terry Kilgore and Bud Phillips, who were highly effective in advocating for the needs of older citizens and their families. They were great friends of MEOC, as were U.S. Congressmen William C. Wampler Rick Boucher, both consistent advocates for the elderly.
In her view, something else that contributed to MEOC’s success was our emphasis on need and our advocacy role. She said, “We thought of those we served as friends, relatives and neighbors, not as clients. We wanted everyone to be treated with respect and dignity. I believe we elevated what it means to be a southwest Virginian. We were proud to be from where we were from and never let anyone say that nothing good could come from southwest Virginia.
“MEOC’s board and staff understood that we had funding for basic services but that we would have to assemble funding from other resources to build the infrastructure needed to provide the opportunity to older people to age in place in their communities with the assistance of communitybased services. We also had a commitment to support family members in caring for their loved ones,” Marilyn continued.
And finally, she said, MEOC leadership had vowed to always have a human voice answer the phone. We still do! l
U.S. Congressmen Rick Boucher (above) and William C. Wampler (at right) were great supporters of the MEOC, as were the region’s state representatives, such as Dr. John Buchanan (below).
In the mid-1970s, public hearings were conducted to assess needs of older adults across the region.
THE 1970S: FROM VISION TO REALITY
Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc., was established in the mid-1970s to meet the specific needs of older individuals in Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton. Through grants, dedicated personnel and community engagement, MEOC began laying the groundwork for essential services such as nutrition programs, transportation and the Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly. Embodying a spirit of compassion and service, MEOC quickly became a pillar of support for older adults.
The MEOC journey began in 1973, when Dilenowisco, an educational cooperative serving Dickenson, Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton, received a $12,500 planning grant from the Administration on Aging.
The grant aimed to assess the needs of elderly residents in those localities and develop an organization to serve as the region’s Area Agency on Aging.
A. J. Hatmaker, a charter member of the MEOC Board of Directors and current board chair, oversaw the grant, which included a gerontology
planner’s salary.
In January 1974, Dilenowisco hired Marilyn Pace (later Maxwell), an assistant professor of social welfare at Clinch Valley College of the University of Virginia (now UVa-Wise), as the planner. She joined Nancy Jeffrey (now Smith), whom Dilenowisco had employed to create a senior nutrition program, and they began working as a team out of an office in Norton.
Later in 1974, MEOC’s first senior nutrition programs were launched, with Mrs. Mae French playing a significant role in the creation and success of the Norton site. Mrs. French worked at the site until her retirement at age 98, and her legacy of service continues at MEOC.
MEOC also began providing transportation to support its nutrition programs, purchasing its first agency van with a TVA grant.
Dennis Horton, hired in the early days of MEOC and later its
Deputy Director, wrote the grant that allowed MEOC to become a transit provider, addressing the challenge of serving remote and scattered homes in southwest Virginia. MEOC purchased vans using Older Americans Act funds.
In the mid-1970s, public hearings were conducted to assess the needs of older adults across the region, highlighting the importance of meals and transportation. The input provided at these meetings ultimately resulted in the creation of one of MEOC’s best-known programs.
Attendees expressed concerns about affording heating fuel and electric bills during winter months. Local businesswoman Esther Congo took action, collecting about $500 in donations from businesses and giving it to MEOC. Thus, the Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly was created, which today assists over 1,000 older persons annually. Building on Congo’s initial donation, MEOC hosted a walkathon in 1976 to raise money for the fund, an annual event that continues today.
Advocacy was crucial in MEOC’s early days. Nutrition site members are pictured here during a trip to Washington, D.C., on the steps of the Capitol building with Ninth District Congressman William Wampler.
Congregate program participants enjoy slices of watermelon on a summer outing to Bullitt Park, Big Stone Gap, in 1978.
In 1976, MEOC became a private, non-profit corporation and the area agency on aging for Lee, Scott and Wise counties, as well as the City of Norton. Under Maxwell’s leadership as executive director, the first office was established in Wise, solidifying MEOC’s role as a critical support for older citizens in the region.
The agency’s commitment to fulfilling community needs was further demonstrated in 1977 when parts of Appalachia, including Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia, were declared a federal disaster area due to flooding. MEOC sent representatives to every site set up to take applications and provide assistance, gaining a reputation for being a reliable and dedicated agency. l
AS THE 1970S ENDED, MEOC FOCUSED ON CONTINUED SERVICE EXPANSION, DRIVEN BY A COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING THE LIVES OF OLDER ADULTS IN THE MOUNTAIN EMPIRE REGION.
THE DECADE’S HIGHLIGHTS
1973
A grant was awarded to plan for an Area Agency on Aging in Virginia’s Planning District I.
1974
The Area Agency was founded under Dilenowisco Educational Cooperative. A congregate meals service was started in Norton and offered transportation to the nutrition site. The home delivered meals program was introduced in areas with nutrition sites.
1976
Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc., received its corporate charter, becoming the Area Agency on Aging after Dilenowisco dissolution.
1977
MEOC responded to devastating flooding across its service area, defining the agency as a first response system for older adults. The Title V Senior Community Services Employment program was established.
1979
MEOC began offering homemaker services with a Comprehensive Employment and Training Act grant. Twenty homemakers formed the initial team, providing the first such service in the region.
WALKATHON MEMORIES
The MEOC Walkathon is the agency’s longest-running and largest annual fundraiser. First held in 1976, the event raises money for the Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly, MEOC’s flagship program that assists older persons in emergency heating situations. Held on the first Sunday of each May, the event brings people together and showcases supporters’ dedication to helping our older adults in need. These represent just a tiny fraction of photographs snapped at Walkathons over the years.
MEOC began providing transportation services to congregate site participants in the mid 1970s, and within a decade would create a regional transportation system.
THE 1980S: TRANSPORTATION EVOLUTION
MEOC’s first full decade brought significant growth. The agency solidified its position as a regional leader in transportation, establishing Mountain Empire Transit and a coordinated public transit system, expanded outreach efforts, added the Retired Senior Volunteer Program and launched personal care services. The decade also saw the start of the long-term care ombudsman program and the introduction of an in-home respite program for Alzheimer’s patients and their families. MEOC’s commitment to enhancing services was underscored by plans at the end of the decade to secure funding for a new office complex.
mong the highlights of the 1980s were the establishment of Mountain Empire Transit (MET) and the development of a coordinated public transportation system for all ages.
Early needs assessments indicated that transportation was a significant unmet need and barrier to social services for older people. MEOC had been transporting older adults to congregate sites since 1974, but now committed itself to developing a coordinated health and human services transportation system for everyone.
While the Older Americans Act aimed to promote low-cost transportation, it did not fully finance it, prompting MEOC to seek alternative funding sources. Meetings with other local organizations revealed a shared struggle in delivering services due to transportation barriers.
In 1985, MEOC began working with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation to open its transportation services to the public.
MEOC had created flexible routes to transport clients to and from its congregate meal sites and other programs. Similarly, other agencies had worked out transportation routes to ensure their clients could access services.
Several agencies decided to join MEOC and coordinate routes to transport clients for services more efficiently. MEOC assumed a leadership role and began working on a plan to meet the combined transportation needs of all participating organizations.
In 1985, MEOC began working with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation to open its transportation services to the public, thereby creating a regional public transportation system. Using the coordinated transportation system that was already partially in place and the assistance of DRPT, MEOC became the regional contracted provider of most of the human service transportation and transit services to the public.
In 1988, MEOC procured funding to hire a full-time transit director and buy additional buses. Mike Henson was hired and guided MET from just a few buses to a fleet of nearly 75. Henson would later become MEOC’s first IT Director and remain with the agency until his passing in late 2020.
OTHER GROWTH
While expanding its transportation services throughout the 1980s, MEOC began at the decade’s start to integrate outreach as a crucial
Mike Henson began his career with MEOC in 1987 as the transit coordinator, a position that transitioned to the agency’s first transit director in 1988. Mike was instrumental in the growth and development of MEOC’s transit system and earned national recognition for its success. He also created the foundation for the agency’s information technology and became its first IT director in 2008. Mike’s intelligence, knowledge and history with the agency made him essential to MEOC’s growth and success over the years. He remained at MEOC until his death in late November 2020. We remember him as a visionary, mentor and friend.
MIKE HENSON Transit pioneer
component of all its services. This marked the start of a new era of engagement and accessibility for MEOC.
Two years later, in 1982, MEOC expanded its reach by adding the Retired Senior Volunteer Program to its roster of services. RSVP, which engages adults aged 55 and older in volunteer service, aligned with MEOC’s commitment to community involvement and support for older adults. That program flourished for several years at the agency.
In 1984, MEOC embarked on a new venture with the initiation of Medicaid personal care services. This program, funded on a fee-forservice basis under the Medicaid Waiver Program, aimed to provide essential care and support to those in need.
MEOC implemented the long-term care ombudsman program in 1986, a joint effort with Planning & Service Area II. This program focused on advocating for the rights and well-being of older adults receiving long-term care services in a facility or the community.
In 1988, MEOC received recognition for its dedication to supporting Alzheimer’s patients and their families with the award
Margaret Mullins Sturgill was one of MEOC’s early employees who worked at the agency for many years. At the time of this photo in the 1980s, she directed the Outreach Department and supervised Chore Services, Personal Care Services and Emergency Services. In 1999, she became the first director of MEOC’s public guardianship program while remaining Emergency Services Director.
THE DECADE’S HIGHLIGHTS
1980
Outreach was started as an integral component of all services.
1982
The Retired Senior Volunteer Program was added to MEOC list of programs.
1984
Medicaid personal care was launched and funded on a fee-for-service basis under the Medicaid Waiver Program.
1985
Public transportation was made available to the entire community with the help of a grant through the Surface Transportation Act.
1986
The long-term care ombudsman program was implemented.
1988
An in-home respite program was awarded on competitive basis from Department of Health to support Alzheimer’s patients and their families.
1989
MEOC asked Wise County Industrial Development Authority for help to build an office complex.
A young Irma Snodgrass of Weber City began working at MEOC in 1979 as an outreach worker. She remained for 43 years, retiring as a care coordinator in 2022 with the most years of employment in the agency’s history.
from the Virginia Department of Health of an in-home respite program. This program provided much-needed relief and support to families facing the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease.
In 1989, the agency approached the Wise County Industrial Development Authority for assistance in constructing a new office complex. The authority donated land in the Big Stone Gap Industrial Park and underwrote the first Industrial Revenue Bond issued to construct a new office building in Big Stone Gap. l
AS MEOC’S FIRST FULL DECADE DREW TO AN END, IT WOULD HEAD INTO THE NEXT WITH A VISION FOR A NEW OFFICE COMPLEX.
GRACE P. DAVIS Steadfast advocate
The late Grace P. Davis, a retired Lee County educator, played a pivotal role in founding MEOC and provided invaluable leadership during its 25-year growth and expansion. She was a prominent and vocal advocate for developing in-home services for the elderly. Grace was a member of the local planning group that secured the initial grant in January 1974 to establish MEOC and served on the agency’s board of directors until 1999, resigning at age 96 due to health issues. She passed away in September 2002, but her legacy lives on through the annual Grace P. Davis Award, which recognizes a dedicated In-Home and Family Support Services staff member for their commitment to MEOC’s mission.
MEOC representatives and community leaders cut a ribbon to celebrate the 1990 completion of the agency’s new office in Big Stone Gap.
THE 1990S: ADAPTING TO NEEDS
Beginning with the move to a new office complex and ending with a 25th-anniversary celebration and facility expansion, the 1990s brought more community partnerships and groundbreaking programs and services to MEOC. The launch of the case management program, a medication assistance program, adult daycare initiatives and programs to serve children are among highlights of this era. By the decade’s end, the agency had grown so much that it needed an addition to the new complex.
Zelma Aichel was the first director of the Foster Grandparent Program at MEOC. That program would span 1997-2022 at the agency.
Clarence “Bud” Phillips, a longtime state delegate and retired judge for the 30th Judicial District, was a great supporter of MEOC during his terms in office and also served as the agency’s attorney for many years. Here, he greets congregate site participants in 1999.
he 1990s kicked off in a big way, with MEOC moving into a new office complex late in the deade’s first year.
At the end of the previous decade, Wise County Industrial Development Authority donated land in Big Stone Gap to MEOC and underwrote an Industrial Revenue Bond to construct the building. With the new office space, MEOC services grew dramatically, as did the agency’s number of employees. By the early 90s, MEOC’s operating budget was about $2.7 million.
In 1991, MEOC was part of a Case Management Pilot Program funded by the Virginia Department for the Aging to provide a comprehensive assessment and centralized access point for community services. This program, now called care coordination, would become a cornerstone of MEOC’s efforts to streamline and improve access to vital services for older adults in the region.
In 1995, MEOC expanded its reach and impact with the launch of the Pharmacy Access Program, a partnership with the Lenowisco Health District to improve medication access for older adults. This year also saw the launch of adult daycare services, which would be offered at MEOC until the COVID pandemic of 2020.
With new office space, MEOC services grew dramatically during the 90s, as did the agency’s number of employees.
In 1997, MEOC began partnering with some local housing authorities to provide services to older adults in public housing. Additionally, the Foster Grandparent Program was introduced, further enriching the lives of older adults and strengthening intergenerational connections. That program would thrive at MEOC until 2022.
The last year of the decade introduced the public guardianship program and another program that
In 1991, MEOC was part of a Case Management for Elderly Virginians pilot project that would eventually become what is now called Care Coordination. Here, Ellen Nau from the Virginia Department for the Aging (far right) pays a monitoring visit to early MEOC care coordinators (left to right) Jean Rhoton, Judy Willis, Jody Hay and Irma Snodgrass.
would reset MEOC’s mission to include children’s services.
In the early 1990s, MEOC staff began seeing a noticeable increase in the number of kinship caregivers, a phenomenon taking place nationwide. This led to a concentrated effort by all departments to include the special needs of kinship care families in their services.
In 1999, funded by the Brookdale Foundation, MEOC’s KinCare Program was created to provide support and service for grandparents and other relatives who take on the responsibility of surrogate parenting due to the absence of parents.
By that time, the growing agency needed additional space, so the Wise County IDA issued a second Industrial Revenue Bond to expand the building.
In September 1999, MEOC celebrated its 25th anniversary at the Wise County Fairgrounds with more than 800 people in attendance. l
MEOC ENDED THE 1990S POISED TO CONTINUE ITS MISSION OF SERVING THOSE IN NEED INTO THE NEW MILLENNIUM, AN ERA THAT WOULD BRING UNPRECEDENTED EXPANSION TO THE AGENCY.
THE DECADE’S HIGHLIGHTS
1990
MEOC moved into a new office complex in Big Stone Gap.
1991
Case Management Pilot Program participation began, providing a comprehensive assessment and centralized access point for community service.
1995
The Pharmacy Access Program was initiated in collaboration with the Lenowisco Health District. Additionally, adult day care services were introduced.
1997
MEOC partnered with local housing authorities to provide services to older adults in public housing. The agency also welcomed the Foster Grandparent Program.
1998
The Lifeline program started, and the Medicaid Transportation Brokerage Pilot Program was launched.
1999
MEOC marked its 25th anniversary. The public guardianship and KinCare programs were introduced.
CELEBRATING A QUARTER CENTURY
More than 800 attendees gathered at the Wise County Fairgrounds in September 1999 to celebrate MEOC’s 25th anniversary. This occasion underscored the agency’s quarter-century commitment to serving the community.
Del. Terry Kilgore (standing, second from right) is pictured with MEOC Executive Director Michael Wampler and some of the agency’s earliest children’s services staff, including the late Janie Dockery (seated, right), LaDonna Hall (seated, left), Patty Roberts (standing, left) and Jennifer Davis.
THE 2000 s : CARING FOR ALL AGES
To this point, MEOC’s services and programs focused primarily on older adults, but this era would bring significant expansions to children’s services. MEOC would add Healthy Families for Southwest Virginia early in the decade, followed closely by the opening of the Southwest Virginia Children’s Advocacy Center. The early 2000s also saw the expansion of the medication assistance program. Later in the decade, MEOC would celebrate the opening of one of its most significant programs, the Mountain Empire Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.
A new program launched at the end of the 1990s set the stage for significant growth of MEOC’s children’s services department during the 2000s.
KinCare, created in response to the need for support of families raising relative children, was quickly followed by the Healthy Families for Southwest Virginia program in 2000. This accredited and evidence-based program provides home visiting services to high-risk families and offers information, education, and support to new parents at no cost.
MORE
ABOUT THE SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY
CENTER: PAGE 27
Soon after, in April 2002, MEOC became the host agency to the Southwest Virginia Children’s Advocacy Center. CACs revolutionized the approach to interviewing child abuse victims, providing a child-friendly environment and reducing the trauma associated with recounting their experiences. The center also offers intervention and treatment services for victims and non-offending caregivers, along with support for adults who were abused as children. These services are crucial in a region where child
THE DECADE’S HIGHLIGHTS
2000
Healthy Families for Southwest Virginia was added to MEOC’s program roster. Pharmacy Connect, an expansion of the Pharmacy Access Program, was created.
2000
The Walkathon celebrated its 25th year.
2002
Southwest Virginia Children’s Advocacy Center opened at MEOC. Mountain Laurel Cancer Support & Resource Center began operations.
2005
New transit facility completed on MEOC main campus.
2006
Marilyn Maxwell was invited by The Carnegie InstituteUnited Kingdom to Scotland and England to consult on their new rural initiatives and showcase MEOC as a model of effective communityled and community-based organization.
2008
Mountain Empire Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly opened.
Joey Carico (right) was the Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney when MEOC was asked to be the host agency for a new Children’s Advocacy Center. His support was crucial in the project, says MEOC Executive Director Emeritus Marilyn Maxwell.
LEIGH ANN BOLINSKEY
A heart for serving
Leigh Ann Bolinskey was director of the Mountain Laurel Cancer Support and Resource Center from 2004 until 2014, when she died of leiomyosarcoma, a rare cancer. Leigh Ann had a heart for serving and supporting people with cancer and continued to work through her illness. She loved her family, community and coworkers and was beloved by them. An annual 5K walk/ run to raise money for the Mountain Laurel Center honors her memory and helps to further the work she loved.
a region where child abuse rates are disproportionately high compared to the state average.
At the same time children’s services were expanding, so was the Pharmacy Access Program. An act of the General Assembly expanded the program into two planning districts through a partnership with Stone Mountain Health Service, Inc., the Lenowisco Health District and Clinch River Health Services, Inc. The new program, Pharmacy Connect, launched in July 2000.
In 2002, MEOC celebrated the opening of The Mountain Laurel Cancer Support & Resource Center. The center’s mission is to educate the community about cancer prevention, early detection, treatment and resources. The center also provides liquid nutritional supplements and financial assistance to cancer patients.
Mountain Empire Transit was also continuing its path of growth. Transit operations were initially housed in MEOC’s main office but moved into a new building funded with a Federal Transit Administration grant on the agency’s campus in 2005. The new 9,900-square-foot facility includes offices, meeting space, a dispatch center and several maintenance bays.
The decade culminated with the launch of an innovative program offering comprehensive care to seniors, enabling them to age at home and remain active in their communities for as long as possible. In 2008, MEOC saw a long-held vision come to fruition with the opening of the Mountain Empire Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.
MORE ABOUT MOUNTAIN EMPIRE PACE: PAGE 29
The program, which started at MEOC’s main office and is now housed in a dedicated facility, provides a range of services, including medical care, therapy, and social support. Today, it serves over 90 individuals and has served nearly 450 since opening.
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AS 2010 APPROACHED, MEOC STOOD ON THE THRESHOLD OF A NEW CHAPTER IN ITS LEADERSHIP. MARILYN MAXWELL, THE AGENCY’S LONGSTANDING AND INAUGURAL LEADER, PREPARED TO RETIRE, PAVING THE WAY FOR A NEW DIRECTOR WITH HIS OWN HISTORY AT MEOC TO ASSUME LEADERSHIP.
Southwest Virginia CAC: A safe haven for abused children
Until April 29, 2002, child abuse victims in southwest Virginia had to recount their traumatic experiences multiple times, often in sterile, unwelcoming government offices. But things changed on that day when the Southwest Virginia Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) opened at MEOC.
MEOC had long been a provider of services for grandparents raising grandchildren, a growing phenomenon in southwest Virginia and nationwide. Often, households were receiving MEOC services for their elder members, and at the same time, they were receiving services from MEOC’s KinCare program, which addresses the issues surrounding an older person becoming responsible for young children.
When local children’s advocates sought a host agency for the center, they looked to MEOC.
So, when local children’s advocates, led by then Commonwealth’s Attorney Joey Carico, sought a host agency for the center, they naturally looked to MEOC, long a trusted partner in local multiagency, cooperative efforts.
The CAC provides a welcoming, child-friendly, safe space for interviews by an individual specifically trained to perform these interviews without re-traumatizing the children. At the same time, it allows discreet (through a one-way mirror) observation and assessment of child abuse cases by a multi-disciplinary team, including local Child Protective Services, law enforcement officers, members of the medical community, victim advocates, the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office and any others who need to be present.
The CAC also provides intervention and treatment services to children who are victims of sexual or physical abuse. Child abuse rates for our region are among the highest in the state. Non-offending caregivers can also receive supportive services and case management, and a program is available for adults who were themselves abused as children.
JANIE DOCKERY
A fierce advocate for abuse victims
As leader of MEOC’s Children’s Services Department for nearly two decades, Janie Dockery was a fierce advocate for child abuse and domestic violence victims, a visionary and a mentor to many. Janie passed away unexpectedly in January 2022. She began working at MEOC in October 2003, directing the Healthy Families for Southwest Virginia program and later the Southwest Virginia Children’s Advocacy Center. An annual event to benefit the Southwest Virginia Children’s Advocacy Center is named in her honor.
“The Southwest Virginia CAC is an accredited, child-focused, community-oriented, safe facility where representatives from many disciplines meet to discuss and make decisions about investigation, treatment and prosecution of child abuse cases,” said MEOC’s Children’s Services Director LaDonna Hall. “The CAC’s mission is to prevent child abuse and to intervene effectively when abuse occurs so that children are not further victimized by the systems designed to protect them. Our aim is to help reduce stress and trauma for the child victim. The center is designed to accommodate children of all ages,” she said.
MEOC Children’s Services also include the Healthy Families for Southwest Virginia program. Healthy Families is an accredited and evidence-based home visiting program that provides information, education and supportive services to new parents. All services are provided at no cost to the family. Parents can access the program prenatally or postnatally through their obstetrician-gynecologist, in the hospital following their baby’s birth, or through self-referral.
MEOC Children’s Services Department includes the Southwest Virginia Children’s Advocacy Center, Healthy Families for Southwest Virginia and KinCare. The number of staff has grown dramatically since the first children’s services were offered at MEOC. Above, staff pose for a photo in April 2024 during Child Abuse Prevention Month. Below, Joan Moore (left), an early CAC director, is pictured in 2003 with Anne Sturgill, a Wise County Department of Social Services child protective services worker.
Mountain Empire PACE begins new era in care
When Mountain Empire PACE opened its doors to the first participants on April 1, 2008, it was the culmination of a long-held vision.
Executive Director Marilyn Pace Maxwell and others at MEOC had become aware of a program started by On Lok Senior Services, a community-based organization in the San Francisco Bay area. On Lok pioneered a comprehensive model of care that helps older persons remain active members of their communities rather than going to a nursing home. This model, which became known as PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly), integrated medical and social services.
Interest built as more was learned, and MEOC began to explore possibilities and actively seek potential partners, including local hospitals. Key staff visited Palmetto PACE in Columbia, SC, and were impressed by what they saw. But PACE was an urban phenomenon, and no one was sure it would work in a rural area. This changed when Congress enacted legislation in 2005 establishing the Rural PACE Pilot Act to develop PACE as an option for rural areas.
In 2007, MEOC applied for and received funding through the act to start a PACE program, and USDA Rural Development provided a low-interest federal loan to build a structure to house it. Tony Lawson was hired as the PACE director and brought a wealth of experience with him, having served as Executive Director of the Southwest Virginia Graduate Medical Education Consortium and in other rural healthcare leadership positions.
Above, MEOC and state leaders break ground for a new facility to house Mountain Empire PACE. When the center initially opened, it was housed in the agency’s main building.
On December 9, 2009, the full range of PACE services began to be offered in the new 17,000-square-foot building.
When the PACE Center initially opened, and until MEOC could build a new facility, it was housed in the agency’s main building, where the large conference room was converted into a PACE center and other accommodations were made. But, finally, on December 9, 2009, the full range of PACE services began to be offered in the new 17,000-square-foot building.
Current PACE Director
Callie ‘Ruby’ Kennedy
“PACE is truly a wonderful resource for our rural community. It allows those who are at risk for nursing home placement to continue living at home through the services it provides,” said current PACE Director Ruby Kennedy. These services include but are not limited to all Medicaid and Medicare-covered services. Among them are adult day care, personal care, hospital care, primary care (including doctor and nursing services), medical specialty services, meals and nutritional counseling, dentistry, emergency services, laboratory and x-ray services, physical and occupational therapy, nursing home care, prescription drugs, recreational therapy, transportation, social services and social work counseling. PACE participant James Coleman said, “PACE saved my life. If it wasn’t for me joining PACE, I wouldn’t be here today. I was beginning to think ‘I can’t do this anymore’, and then PACE came along and my life has turned completely around.”
Roberta Beatty, caregiver for PACE participant Violet Holmes, who just celebrated her 106th birthday, said, “It gives me time to go out and do what I need to outside of my home because of an aide being there with my mother. Without PACE, I could not take care of her at home.”
Mountain Empire PACE serves Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton. To be eligible for PACE enrollment, one must live in one of these jurisdictions, be at least 55 years old, be eligible for nursing facility level of care, be able to live safely at home with support and meet financial and medical requirements.
Tony Lawson, of Lee County, was Mountain Empire PACE’s first director.
MEOC’s founding and only executive director, Marilyn Maxwell, retired early in the fall of 2012 after 38 years of leadership, passing the reins to Michael Wampler, the agency’s transit director with a long history at MEOC himself.
THE 2010 s : CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP
In the annals of MEOC, the 2010s emerged as an era of change in leadership. Marilyn Maxwell, the agency’s founding and only executive director, retired two years into the decade, marking the end of a 38-year chapter as a visionary and innovator. The MEOC Board of Directors cast a wide net in search of her successor. They ultimately chose a leader who had spent 20 of his 37 years as an MEOC employee, believed in its mission and understood its culture. The decade would end with MEOC and the rest of the world on the verge of a global pandemic.
Executive Director Marilyn Maxwell, whose vision and dedication shaped MEOC into a nationally- and even internationally-recognized human services agency in her 38 years as its leader, delivered seismic news early in the decade: She planned to retire at the end of October 2012.
That left the Board of Directors with the daunting task of finding someone to fill her formidable shoes.
Maxwell’s impact on MEOC is almost indescribable. Her tenure was marked by remarkable growth and innovation. Under her leadership, the agency expanded its services from two Older Americans Act-funded programs in 1974 to a multi-funded, multi-faceted organization that served not only older adults but also at-risk children, cancer patients and the broader community through public transit services. Her commitment to serving the community garnered national recognition and numerous accolades for herself and MEOC.
The board launched a nationwide search for her replacement, but selected a new leader from within MEOC’s walls: Michael Wampler, MEOC’s transit director who had started part-time at the agency as a high school student in 1992 and worked his way through various positions there. In late October 2012, MEOC hosted a retirement celebration for Maxwell at Mountain Empire Community College, where colleagues, friends, and community members gathered to honor her contributions.
THE DECADE’S HIGHLIGHTS
2012
Founding Executive Director
Marilyn Maxwell retired. MEOC Board of Directors chose Michael Wampler as her successor.
2014
Chief Financial Officer Ray Moore, a 17-year employee, retired. Stephanie Sprinkle was hired in his place.
2019
Deputy Director Dennis Horton, who had been with MEOC since 1978, retired in May.
Long-time Chief Financial Officer Ray Moore (left) retired in the fall of 2014. His successor and current CFO is Stephanie Sprinkle (center). Deputy Director Dennis Horton (right), hired in 1978, retired in the spring of 2019.
JULIA DILLON A legacy of compassion
Julia Trivett Dillon’s career at MEOC began as a social work intern and lasted from 1980 to her passing in February 2019. She made significant contributions in the realm of Alzheimer’s caregiving, developing key programs and serving as the agency’s specialist in Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Julia played a crucial role in establishing community services like adult day health care and respite care, and she championed the vital role of family caregivers. Under her leadership, MEOC’s Family Support Services earned national recognition, including being named one of the nation’s top five caregiving programs by the National Council on Aging in 2001. Julia’s legacy is one of compassion, dedication and tireless advocacy.
Wampler assumed leadership on November 1, 2012, bringing a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to MEOC’s mission. His leadership ushered in a new chapter for MEOC, building upon Maxwell’s foundation and guiding the agency through continued growth and service to the community.
The decade would also bring other changes in leadership roles. In late fall 2014, longtime Chief Financial Officer Ray Moore retired after a 17-year career with the agency. Lee County native Stephanie Sprinkle came on board as CFO and remains in that role today.
Longtime Deputy Director Dennis Horton, who had been with the agency since October 1978, also retired at the end of May 2019.
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AS 2019 DREW TO A CLOSE, MEOC FACED A LOOMING CHALLENGE UNLIKE ANY OTHER IN HISTORY. A GLOBAL PANDEMIC WOULD ARRIVE WITHIN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THE NEW DECADE.
Retired Care Coordination Director Judy Willis, with Marilyn Maxwell, displays the 2011 Aging Innovations Award. MEOC received the honor for the Faith Works program.
MICHAEL WAMPLER:
HONORING THE PAST, LEADING THE PRESENT, FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE
MEOC Executive Director Michael Wampler still has his very first employee badge issued to him by the agency.
It rests in a top drawer in his office. The rectangle-shaped badge encased in a clear plastic pouch looks like what you’d expect of one made in 1992. The lower portion includes Wampler’s name, address and birth date, imprinted by a typewriter, and his signature at the bottom. The top right displays MEOC’s original logo and the agency’s contact information, including the phone number (703) 523-4202, which is two area codes ago, if such a thing can measure time. In the upper left corner is a photograph of a slightly smiling teenage Wampler, just 17 years old, though one might guess he is even younger.
Since then, Wampler has had several more employee IDs. However, that first one is special because it’s a notable piece of his life history — and MEOC’s history, too.
Now 49, Wampler has spent nearly two-thirds of his life at MEOC. He effectively finished growing up at the agency. Like most teenagers starting their first job, he had no inkling when that old ID photo was snapped where his new journey would take him. It didn’t take him far in the sense of geography. But it would nonetheless set the course of his life.
Wampler would go on to fill numerous roles at MEOC, learning more and more about how the agency operates while absorbing its culture of service. Staff members who had been there from the start or close to it and understood MEOC’s responsibility to the community would mentor him, each demonstrating different skills and strengths from which Wampler learned invaluable lessons. He worked his way through the ranks, never dreaming he would one day sit in the executive director’s seat.
THE BEGINNING
The top photo shows Executive Director Michael Wampler’s very first MEOC employee badge, taken when he was 17. The other is the current photo featured on his staff ID.
Wampler was a senior at Powell Valley High School when he came to work at MEOC through the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA). The
program provided high school students with reallife career experiences. His job assignment was in nutrition services, specifically the home-delivered meals department. He worked there four afternoons a week, attending his high school classes the first half of those days.
His job title was assistant kitchen manager. “I started out packaging frozen meals for home deliveries. And I did whatever else they needed me to, which covered a lot of ground,” Wampler recalled with a laugh.
A page of the January 1993 edition of The Mountain Empire News, MEOC’s newspaper from that time, features a photograph of Wampler under a “MEOC Welcomes New Employees” headline. One part of the cutline beneath his picture reads, “In addition, he’s always willing to help out with other tasks around the office, if needed. Michael’s winning ways and hard work have made him a real asset to the M.E.O.C. Team.”
You’ll find many more photos of Wampler in various roles over the years in MEOC’s old newspapers and vast photo collection.
Wampler has always felt at home at MEOC but, at just 17, had yet to consider the agency as a long-term career path. He worked here through high school, graduating in the spring of 1993. Wampler continued
working part-time at the agency while earning his bachelor’s degree in business and public administration with a minor in economics at Clinch Valley College, now The University of Virginia’s College at Wise.
By the time he graduated CVC in 1997, his MEOC duties had expanded to include tasks like mowing and other odd jobs, and again included whatever he was needed to do.
As Wampler approached college graduation, he asked Executive Director Marilyn Maxwell for a letter of recommendation to assist him as he began his aftercollege career search. His hunt wouldn’t be long or lead him far, or anywhere for that matter.
Maxwell wrote the letter of recommendation but also told Wampler about an administrative assistant vacancy in the agency’s In-Home Family Support Services department in which he might be interested.
Maxwell was a role model for Wampler throughout his career, as she was for countless others. So, he took her advice, applied for the position and got it.
Thus, he became assistant to the late Julia Trivett Dillon, a longtime MEOC employee whose kindness, generosity and loving spirit are legendary at the agency. Dillon, who passed away in 2019, profoundly impacted Wampler, not just as his supervisor but as his friend.
Wampler was “Julia’s secretary,” as he fondly refers to the job, for two years. Then, a case manager position came open. He inquired about it, hoping for a chance to learn more in a new role. He was again promoted and would work for about a year under the supervision of Care Coordination Director Judy Willis.
In 2000, Wampler became the MEOC transit operations director under Mike Henson’s mentorship. With each position Wampler assumed at MEOC, his responsibilities grew. In his first transit role, he managed operations, a lengthy list of duties ranging from handling complaints to developing budgets with various responsibilities in between. It was also the first time Wampler supervised others, a responsibility that provided lessons he considers invaluable.
Wampler held the position for six years before
Michael Wampler stands with the late Julia Dillon, his first supervisor as a full-time MEOC employee.
venturing outside MEOC to work as an emergency planner at the area health district. When he had the opportunity to return to MEOC as the transit director in 2008, he did not hesitate. His experience at the agency landed him the position vacated by Henson’s move to the IT department. Wampler would be the transit director until 2012.
THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY
“If you would have asked me at the beginning if I thought I would be sitting here, the answer would have been, ‘No way.’ I never dreamed of being executive director,” said Wampler.
But he’s held the position since 2012. With nearly two decades of experience in various roles at MEOC, Wampler applied for the executive director spot when Maxwell announced her planned retirement.
The board of directors conducted a national search for her replacement. The interview process for prospective candidates was extensive, with the board of directors and a staff committee conducting separate interviews. Willis, among Wampler’s former supervisors, sat on the employee committee. “Michael was the clear staff choice,” recalled Willis. “He will never brag on himself, but he had proven himself more than capable.
One of the things that stands out about Michael is that whatever is to be done, he will do it. No job is beneath him. Most of all, though, the staff knew Michael and knew he understood MEOC’s values and culture and believed wholeheartedly in them. He was one of us.”
Thus, Wampler became MEOC’s second executive director in its history. He has never taken the role lightly. “No one could ever fill Marilyn’s shoes. Her vision, leadership and intelligence made MEOC what it is. All of us have been fortunate to build on everything she created,” he said.
By “all of us,” Wampler means MEOC’s entire staff. He refers to staff members as co-workers and considers everyone as having an important role to play.
Today, MEOC offers at least 25 different services and serves all ages. Leading such a large organization can seem daunting. He is, after all, responsible for the overall financial and social health of an agency with an $18 million budget, a far cry from the $12,500 grant that created MEOC all those years ago.
Wampler relies on the expertise of others at MEOC and the lessons from those who mentored him to guide the agency. It all comes down to one simple thing, he said: “Stay focused on those we serve. That’s why we are here.”
Above left, Michael Wampler demonstrates how a wheelchair lift works during his time as transit operations director. Above right, Wampler and Mike Henson congratulate each other in 2008 on accepting new positions. Henson was transitioning from transit director to IT director, and Wampler would assume Henson’s vacated position.
MEOC staff joined Town of Wise and City of Norton leaders in June 2021 to celebrate the launch of METGo!, the region’s first on-demand public transportation service.
THE 2020 s : UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES
Like the rest of the world at the beginning of the 2020s, MEOC was shaken by a global pandemic and faced unprecedented challenges. As an agency dedicated to serving the elderly population and as the region’s public transportation provider, MEOC had to ensure the continuation of essential services while focusing on the safety of service recipients and staff. Even amid a pandemic, though, MEOC continued its history of innovation. In 2021, Mountain Empire Transit launched METGo!, making on-demand transportation possible and changing the face of rural transportation.
For MEOC, as for the entire world, the dawn of the 2020s is defined by unparalleled trials due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the shadow of uncertainty it cast. MEOC adapted to the challenges and continued to serve the community throughout the pandemic.
In January 2020, COVID-19 entered the U.S. and quickly spread, leading to the declaration of a global pandemic in early March 2020. Lockdowns and stay-at-home orders nationwide attempted to curb the virus’s spread and prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed.
MEOC remained operational throughout the pandemic. Transit, personal care and home-delivered meals continued with strict safety protocols. Social distancing, face masks, temperature checks and more frequent sanitization became the norm. Many staff members transitioned to remote work, adapting to the new reality of virtual communication.
At the height of the pandemic, the agency suspended non-essential home visits. Senior nutrition sites were closed, though participants still received nutrition services through the home-delivered meals program and socialization via phone and the internet. Mountain Empire PACE was closed to outside visitors. Fundraising and other events were canceled or significantly altered in 2020. For the first time in its history, MEOC hosted a virtual Walkathon.
As the world slowly began to recover from the pandemic, MEOC’s programs and services returned to somewhat normal the following year. Congregate sites started to reopen in April 2021 after being closed for more than a year, the Walkathon returned to an in-person event and other programs returned to a sense of pre-pandemic normalcy.
Despite challenges, MEOC continued its record of innovation even during the pandemic. In 2021, Mountain Empire Transit introduced METGo!, a Department of Rail and Public Transportation pilot microtransit project that made same-day transportation possible for WiseNorton residents in a 14-square-mile service area. METGo! applies the same concept of ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft to public transit, allowing riders to book trips using a smartphone app and be picked up within minutes. Until then, Mountain Empire Transit provided only demand-response transportation, requiring passengers to call at least 24 hours to book a trip.
METGo! added a second service zone for Big Stone Gap and Appalachia in April 2024.
At the beginning of 2024, MEOC began preparations for its upcoming 50th-anniversary celebration, which would honor the past, celebrate the present and embrace the future. And here we are today!
THE DECADE’S HIGHLIGHTS
2020
A global pandemic was declared in early March 2020 after COVID-19 entered the U.S. in January and quickly spread. MEOC continued to offer essential services with strict safety protocols. Nonessential services were shut down or altered.
2021
Mountain Empire Transit launched METGo! in the Wise-Norton areas.
2022
Southwest Virginia Children’s Advocacy Center recognized its 20th anniversary. The CAC’s annual gala was renamed The Janie Dockery Memorial Gala Benefitting the Southwest Virginia Children’s Advocacy Center.
2023
Mountain Empire Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly celebrated its 15th Anniversary.
2024
METGo! added a second service zone for Big Stone Gap and Appalachia.
WHO WE ARE TODAY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
A.J. HATMAKER Chair, Lee County
ETHEL DANIELS Vice-Chair, City of Norton
NANCY BAILEY Wise County
ELEANOR SUE
CANTRELL, M.D. Wise County
PAMELA COLLIE-PRICE Wise County
GRETCHEN COPE
Scott County
STEVE GARRETT
Lee County
KIM DORTON Scott County
SENIOR MANAGEMENT
MICHAEL K. WAMPLER Executive Director
STEPHANIE R. SPRINKLE Chief Financial Officer
ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Zelma Aichel
Charles ‘Wally’ Alspaugh
Kelly Bledsoe
Wilma Blessing
Diana Bloomer
Hannah Bolling
Nicole Brewer
Valya Burney
Mary Alice Burney
Shirley Cassidy
Sam Cecil
Robert Chapman
Diana Collier
Cassandra Collins
Paula Cuda
Ethel Daniels
Elaine Davis
Kim Dorton
Lisa Dotson
Anna Duncan
Peggy Dunn
Judy Free
Betsy Grossman
Lena Haight
Rebecca Iozzi
Paulie Lester
Margaret McDavid
Sheila Miller
Dianne Morris
Amy Mullins
Opal Muncy
Roger Ramey
Lula Belle Reasor
Delores Smith
Nancy Smith
Sharon Stacey
Cheryl Stallard
Thelma Welch
Gary Williams
1993
Patsy and Melvin Killen are pictured in 1977 at ages 93 and 98, respectively. They had been married 76 years when this photo was taken at their Indian Creek home.
In this June 8, 1980, photo, Executive Director Marilyn a plaque proclaiming him southwest Virginia’s oldest as he celebrates his 108th birthday.
Countless remarkable individuals have graced our journey over the past five decades. From the early recipients of our services to some of our oldest friends and neighbors, these images remind us of the rich tapestry of lives touched by Mountain Empire Older Citizens.
This
photo features Norton resident Laura Johnston, who lived to age 103.
Maxwell
presents Muff Jones of Big Stone Gap with citizen. Mr. Jones is surrounded by family and friends
Pearl Dyber, 92, of Gate City, works in her garden in 1981.
Macie Flanary, a longtime volunteer of MEOC is pictured in 1998 at the Gate City nutrition site.
Lee County resident Ressie May Seymore, who lived to be 117, is pictured in 1992 at age 108.
Thank you, MEOC staff, past and present
As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we are immensely proud of our staff, which today numbers 255. Of that number, 12 employees have more than 20 years of service.
We extend our deepest gratitude to every member of the MEOC family. Over the past five decades, you have touched countless lives and made a lasting impact in the communities you serve. You are MEOC’s heart and soul.
Your dedication, compassion and unwavering commitment to our mission have been the driving force behind our success. We have faced challenges and triumphs, always united in our mission to serve older adults and the broader community.
As we look to the future, we know MEOC’s strength lies in our incredible staff. We are grateful for all that you do, today and every day. Here’s to the next 50 years of serving with compassion, excellence and dedication!
The MEOC Board of Directors and Senior Management
