Mountaineer Country Community Resource Guide During Coronavirus

Local Support in Mountaineer Country

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Local Information Support Your Community Outdoor Destinations Home Activities Kid-Friendly To-Go Dining Shopping Services Health Resources FAQs

[Last Updated May 28, 2020.
Please note that the information below is being updated regularly but that some offers may no longer be active.]

A Message from the Visit Mountaineer Country Convention and Visitors Bureau

Local Information

During the coronavirus crisis, the health and well-being of our local community and our visitors is vital. Travelers to Mountaineer Country – and all destinations – should continue to observe the health recommendations of national and local public health officials, as they plan to travel, when they travel, and when they are visiting any destination. Travelers are also encouraged to check the status of any upcoming reservation, special event and operations of individual businesses before embarking on their trip.

Here in West Virginia, public officials have issued moratoriums on restaurants and bars as restricted to carry-out and delivery only, with no on-site consumption permitted. Locally, public gatherings of more than 10 people — exempting essential locations like grocery stores, pharmacies and retail stores – is prohibited.

Visit Mountaineer Country Convention & Visitors Bureau is in close contact with regional public health officials and elected officials, as well as with national travel associations, and is actively communicating to the best of our ability on this website as the situation changes.

For Restaurant Owners and Employees: find information regarding the Restaurant Act as it relates specifically to West Virginia at restaurantsact.com/west-virginia. Includes employee resources and links to information from the State Restaurant Association.

From the Morgantown Parking Authority

“In an effort to support our downtown and to keep our employees and the general public safe, the Morgantown Parking Authority is offering free parking in all metered spaces, lots and garages until the stay at home order is lifted by Governor Jim Justice.”

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How to Show Your Support for Mountaineer Country and Local Businesses

As we weather this unique health crisis, Mountaineer Country’s hospitality community is taking a hit. Small businesses, retail establishments, events, attractions and venues, have lost most if not all of their customers. Lodging properties are receiving cancellations daily. Restaurants have moved to curbside service, delivery, or closed entirely.

As we all work to contain the spread of coronavirus, we have ways you can continue to support our local businesses.

  • Order pickup or delivery from a Mountaineer Country restaurant. Save money with participating Mountaineer Deals partners at www.MountaineerDeals.com.
  • Buy a gift card to a Mountaineer Country business you can use in the future.
    • The Morgantown Area Partnership has created an online store for gift cards to local businesses. Right now, when you purchase a $25 gift card, you’ll get a $10 bonus added on for free.
  • Leave a review for a Mountaineer Country business.
  • Donate to an organization that is helping small business owners and their employees impacted by the coronavirus.
  • Find ways to volunteer and donate your time virtually through Volunteer West Virginia.
  • Purchase flowers from the West Virginia Botanic Garden as part of their Earth Day Fundraising Event.
  • Lift spirits and bring art to the Mon River Trail with the Rail-Trail Art Challenge.
  • Find donation opportunities for the Morgantown History Museum on their Facebook page.
  • The Morgantown Mall will be accepting supplies and donations to be delivered to hospitals and medical professionals in the local area. Check their Facebook for more information and updates.
  • The Morgantown Farmers Market will be taking pre-orders for their First Summer Market, taking place on May 2nd. This will be a pre-order market ONLY! Visit online for information on how to pre-order.
  • Donate to the Country Roads Statewide Food Drive by United Way.
  • Donate to one of 11 food pantries organized by Food for Preston. Learn more by visiting online.
  • Participate in the Main Street Morgantown Raffle by shopping local businesses, posting your purchase on the Main Street Morgantown Facebook page and tagging the business you supported! Winners will receive a $50 gift card to a local business in Downtown Morgantown or the Wharf District.
  • WVU Athletics is proud to partner with Panera Bread to announce our Healthcare Heroes program! For every $20 donation they receive, they will be able to donate one free boxed lunch from Panera and a WVU Football game ticket to WV Medical Staff. Visit online to donate now.

 

The John Chamber College of Business & Economics at WVU’s Hospitality Management Program offers assistance to hospitality businesses in the form of faculty-guided student research or class projects.
Currently, the Hospitality Program is willing to assist local hospitality small businesses during and after the COVID- 19 by providing experiential learning group projects, internships, independent study projects, and Hospitality Innovation Technology Lab projects. If you think that your business could benefit from such assistance, please submit your name and a brief description of your business support request to [email protected]. Visit Mountaineer Country will gladly connect you with our partners at the Hospitality Management Program.

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Outdoor Destinations that Offer Social Distance

Park lodges, cabins, and campgrounds are closed and park services have been temporarily suspended. Day-use areas and trails remain open for public use.

Are you working from home and following CDC guidelines for social distancing, but also wondering how to stay balanced while we ride out the COVID-19 pandemic with minimal human contact? We get it! Here are some ideas to help you beat the boredom and de-stress, while also maintaining proper social distance.

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Entertaining Kids During the Coronavirus Quarantine

These kid-friendly activities are perfect for the home and guaranteed to keep the kids entertained. Find current offers below and check back regularly for updates.

Visit Mountaineer Country Coloring Pages
Click on each coloring page below for a downloadable PDF that is ready to print and color!

Coloring Page, Coopers Rock State Forest

Coopers Rock State Forest

Coloring Page, Balloons Over Morgantown

Balloons Over Morgantown

Coloring Page, Monongalia County Ballpark

Monongalia County Ballpark

Coloring Page, Mylan Park Aquatic Center

Mylan Park Aquatic Center

 

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Board of Education Food and Resources for Students

Find all updates regarding school guidelines online at the West Virginia Department of Education.

Monongalia County Board of Education

Preston County Board of Education

Taylor County Board of Education

  • Will deliver meals, Tuesday, March 24th, for the remainder of the week. Included Tuesday will be the backpack food for the upcoming weekend. We will be leaving Grafton High School at 10:00 a.m. following our afternoon routes. Find more information online.

Marion County Board of Education

  • Meal delivery will be offered of designated bus routes, Monday and Wednesday mornings, between 10am and 11am. Find more updates and information online.

Harrison County Board of Education

  • Meal services will start on Monday, March 16th. Harrison County has been approved for a waiver to offer breakfast and lunch meals “to go” at select schools to all Harrison County Students.

Barbour County Board of Education

  • Meal delivery along designated bus routes will be announced, with further details, on the Barbour County Schools Facebook page.

Doddridge County Board of Education

  • Student Meal Distribution will begin on March 23, with deliveries made on Monday and Thursday. Find the complete schedule of the bus routes, and more information on the Doddridge County Board of Education website, under the Parents tab.

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Home Activities

Thanks to modern technology and rolling hills, there is still so much to do in Mountaineer Country! Find current activities below and check back regularly for updates.

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To-Go Dining

Many local restaurants have begun offering curbside and delivery options to local Mountaineer Country residents. Find current offers below and check back regularly for updates.

Morgantown 

Downtown Morgantown and The Wharf District

Sabraton, South Park, Greenmont, South Hills and Cheat Lake

Star City, Suncrest, Westover and Granville

Preston County (Bruceton Mills, Kingwood, Reedsville, Rowlesburg and Terra Alta)

Fairmont, Clarksburg and Bridgeport

Taylor County (Grafton and Flemington)

 

Veterans Table Distribution Site

Operation Welcome Home has been designated as a distribution site for Veterans Table food boxes, compliments of the Mountaineer Food Bank. No income guidelines, but documentation of military service must be provided. Limit one box per month. Contact Program Manager Tyler Lane via phone or email for more information.

 

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Shopping

Business owners around Mountaineer Country are now offering new methods for local residents to be able to shop for items they need. Find current offers below and check back regularly for updates.

 

National Chains Offering Senior Shopping
National Chains and Superstores, like Walmart, Target, Big Lots, and Dollar General are offering specified hours for senior shoppers.

 

Sam’s Club will be hosting Hero Hours each Sunday, from 8am-10am, open exclusively to health care workers and first responders. Membership is not required.

 

WVU Ticket Refund Policy FOR IMPACTED EVENTS
Due to the ongoing developments related to COVID-19, the Big 12 Conference announced on Friday, March 13 that all conference and nonconference competitions are canceled through the end of the academic year, including spring sports that compete beyond the academic year.

As a result, the Mountaineer Ticket Office will be issuing full refunds to all fans who purchased tickets through the Mountaineer Ticket Office for the impacted WVU events.

Fans who paid via credit card or check will not need to request a refund for any of the canceled events; credit card purchases will be automatically refunded to the card used for the original purchase within seven to 10 business days. Refunds for purchases made via check could take up to six weeks to process.

Fans who purchased tickets with cash should email their information to the Mountaineer Ticket Office at [email protected]. A Mountaineer Ticket Office representative will follow up with each customer to initiate the refund process.

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Services

Many local businesses are offering advice and extended services for those having to work from home. Find current offers below and check back regularly for updates.

 

Marriott International is offering a special Community Caregivers Rate to first responders for all reservations through June 30, 2020 at select hotels. All guests booked at this rate must show valid identification (medical, government, military, or relief organization ID) at check-in. Visit the link to find more information and to make your online reservation.

Participating hotels in Mountaineer Country include:

  • Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Place
  • Residence Inn Morgantown
  • Springhill Suites Morgantown
  • Courtyard Morgantown
  • Fairfield Inn & Suites Morgantown
  • Fairfield Inn & Suites Fairmont
  • Courtyard Bridgeport Clarksburg
  • Springhill Suites Bridgeport Clarksburg
  • TownePlace Suites Bridgeport Clarksburg

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Health Resources

WVU Extension Service has created this guide to sewing your own cloth face mask at home. If you are a local business or volunteer looking to donate cloth masks to support essential workers around the state, please consider reporting your mask production to the WVU Extension Mask Making Project, here.

Find tips and advice from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) on how to prevent yourself from getting sick with the help of their online resources.

The West Virginia State Government has created this resource for tracking the state’s current situation. For other questions or concerns, you may have, the state encourages you to reach out to your local health department.

West Virginia-specific information

Toll-Free Hotline: 1-800-877-4304 
Website: www.coronavirus.wv.gov

Monongalia County Health Department

Website: https://www.monchd.org/
Phone: 304-598-5100
Fax: 304-598-5199
Hours of Operation: Monday-8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Tuesday-8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Wednesday-8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Thursday-8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Friday-8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Saturday-Closed Sunday-Closed

Monongalia County Health Department WIC

Phone: 304-598-5181
Fax: 304-598-5585
Hours of Operation: The office is open Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. We also offer evening appointments to accommodate working families.

City of Morgantown

Website: https://www.morgantownwv.gov/557/COVID-19-Coronavirus-Response

Preston County Health Department

Website: http://www.prestoncountyhealthdepartment.com/contact.html
Phone: 304-329-0096
Fax: 304-329-3103
Hours of Operation: Monday-8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday-8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Wednesday-8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Thursday-8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Friday-8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Saturday-Closed Sunday-Closed

Grafton-Taylor County Health Department

Website: https://www.gtchdwv.org/
Phone: 304-265-1288
Hours of Operation: The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:o0 a.m.- 4:o0 p.m.

Marion County Health Department

Website: http://www.marioncountywv.com/departments/health_department/index.php
Phone: 304-366-3360

Harrison County Health Department

Website: http://hchealthdepartment.org/
Phone: 304-623-9308

Barbour County Health Department

Website: https://barbourhealthwv.com/
Phone: 304-457-1670

West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services

Website: https://dhhr.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Phone: 304-558-0684

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to travel to Mountaineer Country?
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has consistently advised the public to practice every-day preventative measures to help stop the spread of germs, as typical in the current flu and respiratory disease season. As of March 30, out of state/country travelers, specifically from China, NY City, NY or other highly contagious states must self-quarantine for 14 days upon entering WV.
Are there any closures of note for visitors to Mountaineer Country, such as attractions, hotels, restaurants or meeting venues?

Some Mountaineer Country businesses are closing temporarily due to slow activity as a result of concerns of the coronavirus. Visit Mountaineer Country CVB is working hard to maintain current information about popular attractions, museums, tours, restaurants and hotels on our website. Please check individual websites and social channels to confirm operating hours.For event cancellations or rescheduling, please go to https://www.VisitMountaineerCountry.com/events/ for the most up-to-date information.

The Visit Mountaineer Country CVB Visitor Centers will be closed to the public March 17 until further notice. Our phone lines and email will continue to be answered by staff during this time.

Public officials recommend visiting open businesses with the COVID-19 health recommendations in mind: washing your hands; refraining from touching your face; and staying home if you’re sick, among others.

All West Virginia Welcome Centers are open, however, the centers are not staffed with anyone other than maintenance.

WV Welcome Centers are open 8:00am to 6:00pm and located on:

  • I-64 Eastbound White Sulphur Springs
  • I-64 Eastbound Huntington
  • I-70 Westbound Wheeling
  • I-77 Northbound and Southbound Williamstown
  • I-79 Southbound Morgantown
  • I-81 Southbound Falling Waters
  • I-81 Northbound Inwood
  • I-68 Westbound Hazleton
What actions are the Morgantown Municipal Airport, and the North Central West Virginia Airport in Bridgeport, taking to ensure the safety of passengers and guests?

Morgantown Municipal Airport (MGW) and North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB) coordinate closely with county health agencies, the CDC, and other federal partners to ensure the safety and health of passengers. At this time, the CDC has not identified MGW or CKB as an airport that will conduct additional checkpoint screenings and operations are not anticipated to be impacted pending new developments.

Information from Southern Airways:

  • Despite the COVID-19 situation, commercial flights to/from Morgantown Airport to Pittsburgh and Baltimore/Washington are continuing to operate on their full regular daily schedule.
  • Special cleaning, social distancing and other precautions are in place at the airport and in-flight to protect the health and well-being of travelers.
  • Southern and all commercial flights are considered “essential,”and not subject to local and state “shelter in place” restrictions.
What actions is West Virginia University taking?
For the remainder of the semester, all classes, except some clinical rotations and related programming for certain programs at the Health Sciences Center, will not be conducted in-class and will be delivered in an alternative format beginning March 30. All other online-only classes will continue as originally scheduled. Visit https://coronavirus.wvu.edu/ for more.
What actions is Mylan Park taking?

The staff at Mylan Park have been monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and continually assessing local and state guidance to appropriately respond for the safety of our community. Find updates and information by visiting online.

Where can I go with urgent questions related to COVID-19?
If you think you are sick with COVID‑19, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html

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