Beckley, WV – (WWNR) – A local non-profit will be mining the sun to forge a better future for the children that it serves.
Just For Kids Child Advocacy Center unveiled its new solar panel Wednesday at its home on North Kanawha Street in Beckley. Executive Director Scott Miller says the system was made possible through federal incentives and local donations.
“This system, which costs $28,000, costs us $500. We will have free energy for 20 years. For $500. Children are our future and if we don’t figure out how to deal with Climate change and how are we going to power ourselves in the future that solar really is, is something that I see is as something that will make a difference for our kids. And so what better place to do it than here where we’re serving kids.”
The panels were installed by Solar Holler. Thomas Ramey is a commercial evaluator for the company,
“One of the things that we love to do is across the Appalachian region. bring affordable electricity options to places like just for kids. So with this system behind me, they’re going to be able to take advantage of a 40 percent tax credit that will come back as a direct payment from the federal government, which made the system extremely affordable and it’s going to save them thousands and thousands of dollars.”
The solar panels are located at Trudy’s House, a former bed and breakfast named in honor of Trudy Laurenson, a pioneer of the child advocacy movement in West Virginia.
“We were looking for a place that was homier and and that could house all of our staff,” said Miller. “And we just happened upon this house, which was, had been a bed and breakfast for a number of years. And it’s on two and a half acres. And it’s just a beautiful spot. And kids come, and as I say, many of the kids look at it and they see a castle. The change in how they come in the door is dramatically different than when they’ve gotten off an elevator in an office building. To when they come in the door here. They really are more open to tell their story. And so, it’s been really exciting to be here.”
Just For Kids hopes that its new solar panels will become a benchmark for the community and help other non-profits and small businesses benefit from this renewable energy source.
