WELLSPRING
Founded in 2004, Wellspring is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing food, clothing, and other life essentials to Southern West Virginia's disadvantaged, unhoused, and/or transient populations. Our Day Haven, located in Rupert, WV, provides a respite for our community. Showers, laundry, WIFI, TV, and light refreshments operate on a first-come, first-served basis at no cost. We also facilitate various programs throughout the year, all focused on instilling hope and meeting the practical needs of our community.
DAY HAVEN
Providing a comfortable and inviting space to those in need, Wellspring’s Day Haven operates four days per week, Monday through Thursday, 10 am-4 pm. At the center, we provide free hygiene products, hot coffee, hot showers, laundry service, free WIFI and TV, and ways to apply for our many programs. Most importantly - we at Wellspring are centered on instilling hope into a county riddled with addiction and poverty. During the off hours, we host addiction support meetings, educational and nutritional classes, and various events to breathe hope, love, and art into a community overlooked. If you want to host an event or volunteer at our center, please get in touch with us.
OUR HISTORY
In 2004, Fred and Scarlett Kellerman founded the organization out of the back of their car and straight out of retirement. After seeing so many unhoused and disadvantaged individuals overlooked in Greenbrier County, the Kellermans felt called to lend a hand. Through the support of the faith community and private/organizational donations, the Kellermans grew the organization over the next couple of decades and have touched the lives of many in the community. During the years Wellspring has operated under their leadership, the organization has provided various services to the area and has influenced others to invest time, talent, and money into the places of Greenbrier County that truly need it.
Leadership Team
Abigail Spangler (Executive Director) and Josiah Spangler (Director of Operations)
Abigail and Josiah Spangler, who have dedicated careers as registered nurses, decided to take on the leadership of our organization in November 2022. Their high standard of care for patients during the pandemic, passion for health and healing, and deep-rooted connections to their hometown in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, led them to Wellspring.
Abigail holds a bachelor's degree in nursing, a registered nurse license, and a national certification in faith community nursing from the Westberg Institute. Having grown up volunteering at Wellspring, Abigail has always felt the conviction to help Greenbrier County's marginalized and disadvantaged population. Through her 8+ years of experience working in healthcare, Abigail's unwavering commitment to patient advocacy is a testament to her dedication. As Executive Director of Wellspring, she's committed to bringing awareness to health disparities in Greenbrier County and cultivating an environment where everyone feels they have a voice.
Josiah holds a bachelor's degree in nursing, a registered nurse license, and a national certification in faith community nursing from the Westberg Institute. Having grown up on campus of a therapeutic residential childcare facility for disadvantaged youth, Josiah's compassion for marginalized Appalachians has been at the forefront of significant decisions in his life. Caring for patients in an intensive care setting as a nurse throughout the pandemic opened his eyes to how vital the role of an advocate is and the importance of health literacy and education. As the Director of Operations, Josiah's leadership is driven by his passion for guiding marginalized communities toward self-fulfillment and lasting purpose.
Abigail and Josiah also enjoy songwriting and playing music as the group Blue Twisted Steel. They regularly perform original music throughout the region and take every opportunity to combine it with their efforts at Wellspring.
Board of Directors
Ben Yusiewicz
Ben is the acting Board Chair, long-time board member, and volunteer. A New Jersey native, he and his wife, Gail, joined a church mission team in 2009 supporting Wellspring. Many trips, much work, and other contributions later, he remains firmly hooked into his West Virginia family. His personal motivation for joining Wellspring was to make a tangible difference in the lives of the underserved. Trained as a mechanical engineer, Ben provided experience in site operations, strategic planning, and capital allocation. Combining this with his experience organizing and leading varied mission teams makes Ben an ideal person to help move Wellspring to its next level. When asked about his vision for Wellspring, he said, "In a few years, I hope the board will be talking about a reduction in food and health care programs because people can provide for their own needs."
Vivian Eichelberger
Vivian is a board member who sees Wellspring's clients as her neighbors and brings a personal touch to her work, coordinating program requirements and volunteer activities. A degree in social work, 16 years as an Army medic and equipment maintenance specialist, plus work at the local elementary school adds to her value on the Board. Aware of Wellspring since 2005, Vivian has volunteered most weeks since 2015, helping with programs, welcoming neighbors, providing referrals to other resources, seeking community partners, and stimulating grant ideas. Her personal connection to the cause is evident when she recalls seeing the Wellspring co-founder, Scarlett, pull her two small sons in a little red wagon around the Day Haven. She went on to say, "We will never lose sight of the fact that our programs are essential, but our most important mission is to offer hope and love to two little boys in a wagon."
Al Emch
After 23 years in the Air Force and West Virginia Air National Guard and a long, distinguished legal career with a West Virginia-based, nationwide law firm, Al "retired" to Lewisburg. Quickly engaging with the community, among other activities, Al became a Fiduciary Commissioner for Greenbrier County and is currently president of the Greenbrier Historical Society. His vast experience as a high-profile trial and appellate lawyer and leader of a major law firm brings unique experiences to the Board as Wellspring navigates the future. A pilot in Vietnam and Desert Storm, he joins two other military veterans on the Board. Al said, "Shortly after I was introduced to Wellspring and its leaders, I knew I wanted to be part of its future. Not only can Wellspring make a major difference to an underserved population, but I am also convinced that it can be a model of how to bring comfort and hope to similar pockets of poverty throughout the state and even the nation."
Shaye Gadomski
Providing a contemporary perspective, Shaye utilizes strong links to the local business community and an entrepreneurial spirit for Wellspring. Returning to Lewisburg after earning a Multidisciplinary degree and Victim Advocacy Certification at West Virginia University, she quickly integrated into the business and public service community. Building on a lifelong interest in the power of reading and knowledge, Shaye is co-owner of downtown bookstore A New Chapter. Shaye commented that she was fortunate to have family and other resources to realize her dreams. She said, "I want to be part of an organization that can bring hope and resources to people way down the advantage scale. Wellspring does that."
Angel Smothers
Angel grew up in a small, rural coal camp community of McComas, WV, where only 50 families lived closely together and isolated from the rest of the world. She has a strong familial tie to coal mining. Her calling from God to become a nurse emerged at the young age of 10, and it was a passion that never wavered. This early dream blossomed into a deep love for community health, leading her to dedicate her career to working as a nurse and nurse practitioner in various community settings. Angel pursued her undergraduate education at Bluefield State College and furthered her studies by earning both her master’s and doctorate degrees in nursing from West Virginia University. Her commitment to improving healthcare in rural areas has been a driving force throughout her career. Angel added, “I am proud to say I grew up in a community like Wellspring serves. So helping neighbors is a way for me to ‘payback’ the people who helped me and pay forward hope.”
Outside of her professional life, Angel enjoys spending time in her flower garden and finding peace and joy in nurturing her plants. She is married and the proud mother of two adult children and one teenager.
Scott Miller
As a long-time resident of Greenbrier County, Scott has brought his life-long concern for people living on the margins to Wellspring. After retiring, he first worked as a volunteer packing and distributing food, then applied his grant-writing skills to access new sources of funds and recently joined the Board. His varied experience with social justice initiatives and advocacy programs adds vital perspectives to strategic planning and day-to-day operations. Scott and his wife of 31 years, Mariah, have six children, three of whom live locally. When asked about his vision for Wellspring, he said, "We want to be mission-driven and relentlessly focused on welcoming and helping everyone who walks through our doors. To do that, we need a new facility offering current services and free medical care."
Frank Wheeler
Frank is a new board member who, along with his wife, Barb, has been involved with Wellspring as a volunteer and fundraiser for over twenty years. A native West Virginian with family in the Meadow River Valley, he understands our neighbor's challenges, often made much worse by substance use disorder. His varied work career in several industries and board chair experiences, notably with a global non-profit, has helped him help Wellspring. He observed, “Wellspring is in the business of helping its neighbors and communities transform into something better. In the process those of us fortunate enough to help can be transformed into more compassionate, grateful, and understanding people, much more comfortable and relevant in this difficult world.”