WVVA Hometown Hero: Morris Clyburn does big things for Oakvale
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (WVVA) - People in the Mercer County community of Oakvale came together to create a volunteer fire department and today, just one of the charter members survives. It’s 74-year-old Morris Clyburn.
Clyburn was born and raised in the small town and continues to call it home. He’s still an active member of the fire department, but these days, it’s a family affair, as Clyburn, his son and grandson, all work together as part of the Oakvale Volunteer Fire Department.
He says his reason for involvement is the same today as it was when he helped open the fire station fifty years ago, “Human life is the main thing. When that alarm goes off, that alarm goes off, these firemen are dedicated to go. The first thing they think about is, is somebody in that house? Is somebody trapped? What can we do to save them? And it’s such a, it’s such a, when that alarm goes off it’s such a adrenaline, and I don’t call, I don’t do the calls much anymore, we have 12 or 15 dedicated firemen that, that give their life,” said Clyburn.
Clyburn’s contributions to the Oakvale community extend beyond helping with the fire service, he’s led church services as the pastor of the Oakvale Methodist Church. F
aith is the foundation of everything he does, “It is so important because your faith is what keeps you going. That hope that there is something better one of these days, looking forward to. And me and my wife and I that’s what we are looking forward to, and I want everybody to know that there is a chance for everybody to go to heaven,” Clyburn said, adding that faith is the glue that holds his familty together.
“We try to help people, me and my wife, it’s our goal, and our children, Shannon and Heather and Jace, we try to give because life is so short, and if we can give, through community service, through the church, and to help people and just touch somebody’s life,” said Clyburn.
It’s what makes Morris Clyburn a WVVA Hometown Hero.
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