BECKLEY W. VA. (WVVA) – Dr. Kristi Dumas has been a resident of Raleigh County for nearly ten years after coming to work in the area.
Since then, Dumas has been dedicated to giving back through different initiatives.
“There’s probably been eight to ten,” said Dumas. “[It’s about] just always finding a need and trying to fill that gap.”
Those initiatives include: Beckley Garden Exchange; a mask drive when the pandemic began, which focused on people providing masks to people who couldn’t afford them and, the New River Riders…just to name a few.
Dumas said it is her own blessings that compel her to give to others.
“I have more than what I need and when I find myself in a place of gratitude, that promotes me giving back,” said Dumas. “That promotes me giving of my time, my talent, and my treasure, so that people can enjoy a better quality of life,” said Dumas.
Her most recent initiative is “Women in Business” which includes the Beckley Success Closet that gives free professional clothing to women (and men) entering or re-entering the workforce.
“We need to give hope to young ladies who are coming up so that they realize they can do anything, they can be anything, and they can run anything,” said Dumas.
Dumas is passing on the importance of giving back to her own child.
“One of the things that is very important to my husband and I is public service and community service, and my son probably has every gadget and gizmo that you can think of, but he needs to understand thats not everybody’s story,” she said. “And so, the way to build character, and the way to be grateful for what you have is to give back and give to others. So on Christmas, my son is not allowed to open toys, not one gift until he performs community service; until he serves the less fortunate.”
Giving back and helping others is the foundation her professional life as a psychologist is built upon.
“Serving others as well as trying to mentally equip them to deal with the vicissitudes of life is just important,” said Dumas. “They go hand in hand, you can’t have one without the other.”
And that is what makes Dr. Kristi Dumas a Hometown hero.
To submit someone who is worthy of being a Hometown Hero, email hometownhero@wvva.com and include a description of what makes them a hometown hero.