Submitted photo Atlantic Coast Pipeline Safety Manager Cliff Perry, center right, shakes hands with Valley Head community leaders at a welcome party hosted for ACP workers in Randolph County.

Submitted photo
Atlantic Coast Pipeline Safety Manager Cliff Perry, center right, shakes hands with Valley Head community leaders at a welcome party hosted for ACP workers in Randolph County.

VALLEY HEAD — As construction gets underway in West Virginia, one Atlantic Coast Pipeline community came together to welcome teams working in Randolph County.

With a census population of just over 260 people, the small town of Valley Head extended hospitality to the 50-person work team with a home cooked meal and plenty of neighborly conversation.

The welcome party, according to native Valley Head resident and former Valley Head Elementary School Principal Melissa Wilfong, was the town’s way of saying, “We are happy you are here!”

Wilfong recounted the recent closures of the community’s elementary school, gas station, and grocery store as challenging blows to the people’s morale.

“This project is having more than just an economic impact on our town,” Wilfong said, “It is lifting our spirits to see new life once again in our community.”

ACP Safety Manager Cliff Perry said he was surprised and encouraged by the warm reception his team has received in the region.

“We have worked on pipeline jobs across the country and have never received such kindness as we did in Valley Head,” Perry said.

Construction will continue in this region through late 2019 when the pipeline is scheduled to be placed into service.