Chelsey Moore, a West Virginia’s Promise Americorps VISTA serving at the Jefferson County Council on Aging, has been quite busy since she arrived in the county in November.

In an effort to recognize veterans in the community, Moore worked with the local Veterans of Foreign Wars in Charles Town, and VFW member Paul Rosa specifically, to offer gift cards to Collin’s Barber Shop in Charles Town.

Moore has distributed several of the 25 gift cards to veterans who visit the Senior Center in Ranson. The certificates entitle the veterans to free hair cuts at the local barber.

“I still have some of the cards available,” Moore said Tuesday. She hopes to have veterans who would benefit from the gift certificates contact her.

“This was just a small way we came up with to honor veterans and thank them for their service,” Moore said.

Veterans who are interested in receiving one of the gift certificates or participating in other potential programs should contact Moore at 304-724-7117. In addition, the efforts help support the local business in downtown Charles Town.

VISTA members make a year-long, full-time commitment to serve on a specific project at a nonprofit organization or public agency. They focus their efforts to build the organizational, administrative and financial capacity of organizations that fight illiteracy, improve health services, foster economic development and otherwise assist low-income communities.

Moore began serving late in 2014 and is continuing work on developing a mentoring program between seniors and students, kindergarten through third grade, initially.

Jefferson County Council on Aging is one of the only senior centers in the state participating with West Virginia’s Americorp VISTA program. Moore is spearheading multiple intergenerational programs as well as working toward developing an initiative following President Obama’s ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ program. In connection with that initiative, Moore is coordinating a ‘GradNation Drop Out Prevention.’ While the program is not finalized, Moore has secured some grant funding and is working to schedule planning discussions to move forward.

VISTA, commemorating 50 years in 2015, was founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965 as a national service program to fight poverty in America. In 1993, VISTA was incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs.