New Martinsville Mayor Lucille Blum accepts a $2,500 donation from West Virginia American Water President Wayne Morgan during Monday evening’s regular city council meeting. The charitable donation will go to Wheeling Health Right, which provides healthcare to the working poor. (Photo by Amy Witschey)

New Martinsville Mayor Lucille Blum received a $2,500 donation from West Virginia American Water to Wheeling Health Right during Monday evening’s regular city council meeting.

Blum and other city representatives had signed up for the “Mayor’s Choice” drawing that was held at the West Virginia Municipal League’s annual meeting in Morgantown Aug. 8 and 9.

When signing up for the drawing sponsored by WVAW, city representatives had agreed that Wheeling Health Right would be their charity of choice.

Blum said Wheeling Health Right was an easy choice.

“Wheeling Health Right is a magnificent organization,” she said during the check presentation. “They provide healthcare for persons who are the working poor-persons who for whatever reason have lost their health insurance and aren’t eligible for Medicare.”

The organization runs a clinic in New Martinsville every Wednesday, seeing “well over 50 patients and prescribing over 200 prescriptions” each time, said Blum, who is an eight-year member of Wheeling Health Right’s Board of Directors.

“I just can’t say enough good things about them,” she said. “It’s a wonderful, wonderful thing and it’s all for free.”

The donation comes as officials in New Martinsville and Wheeling Health Right representatives are looking to expand the clinic’s hours of operation to three days per week, perhaps one of them in Tyler County. A new location for the clinic is also being sought.

“This will be well used,” said Blum.

West Virginia American Water President Wayne Morgan said he’s happy the company could help support such a deserving organization.