DAC Wilfong Wellness Center

The DAC-Wilfong Wellness Center will be located at 444 and 446 Leonard Ave., directly across the street from the Disability Action Center’s main facility. The properties lie in both the City of Fairmont and the City of Pleasant Valley in the County of Marion, WV. The property at 444 Leonard Ave. was purchased in June 2022 and the property at 446 Leonard Ave. was purchased in April 2022, both are owned outright with no debt by the Disability Action Center. Demolition of the existing dwellings on each property was performed by Reclaim Co. in October 2022 and initial site clearance for both parcels was completed at that time. Both parcels have been identified for “Civic/Public Use” through a conditional permit by both the City of Fairmont and City of Pleasant Valley municipalities. These parcels, totaling approximately ¾ of an acre, overlook beautiful downtown Fairmont and provide ample room for the new DAC-Wilfong Wellness Center and expanded accessible parking for both the wellness center and the main campus facility.

The DAC-Wilfong Wellness Center design includes a 50 ft. x 42 ft. basketball court (middle school half-court size) in the gymnasium portion of the center that also includes an area for lockers and spectator seating. The gymnasium will also be lined for and indoor pickle ball court. Project plans allow for the gymnasium portion of the center to be a pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) and the remainder of the wellness center to be “stick built”. Total square footage for the gymnasium side of the wellness center is approximately 3,000 sq. ft. The adjoining 2,500 sq. ft. will house a fitness room to include accessible exercise equipment, two ADA accessible restrooms, a multi-purpose recreation space, storage closets, and a reception area. The final vital remaining portion of the center includes two customizable office type spaces for therapy, counseling, and/or related wellness services. Total square footage for the main level of the wellness center is approximately 5,500 sq. ft., not including a below grade basement storage area. The construction includes partial slab on grade for the PEMB gymnasium portion with a multi-story partially below grade block foundation and concrete footer on the stick built portion of the facility.

While all aspects or areas of the new wellness center provide opportunities to generate income for the organization, it is the co-location of other related service providers that truly expand the breadth of services available to individuals with disabilities. The wellness center will be utilized by our partners from Special Olympics as well as by, special needs students from schools across North Central WV, residents of nearby low–income housing project Unity Terrace, Marion County Parks and Recreation, and will become an inclusive space for other marginalized individuals to access programs and services otherwise unattainable.

Why the DAC-Wilfong Wellness Center:

The DAC-Wilfong Wellness is named in honor of Macel and Mildred Wilfong and their son John Wayne Wilfong. Macel was a founding incorporator of the Marion Association of Retarded Children (MARC) which later became the Association of Retarded Citizens (ARC) and is now the Disability Action Center (DAC). Macel’s wife, Mildred, served as the first Executive Director of the MARC dating back to the late 1950’s through the mid 1960’s. Mildred led the new organization for 8 years, bringing about positive change for her son John Wayne and many other children with developmental disabilities and their families. The Wilfong family, along with other parents of children with special needs, changed the landscape for programs and services in our community. At a time when disabilities and mental retardation, as it was termed at the time, were rarely discussed let alone prioritized, Mildred lobbied for better educational and social opportunities for her son and started the conversation towards acceptance for all in our community.

While John Wayne passed away at a young age and Macel and Mildred are also now deceased, their family has remained engaged and involved with our community and the needs of the Disability Action Center. When the flooding in June 2021 devastated the previous DAC facility, Kevin Wilfong and his wife Donna made the commitment to help the DAC turn our greatest challenge into positive change, just as Kevin’s parents did many years ago. Not only did Kevin and Donna commit to financial support for the new facility, Kevin became an invaluable asset, providing construction expertise and a vision that encompasses our rich history and will meet future expansion needs. W