The smell of unique food, sound of music inspired by several cultures and sight of kids engaged in different activities around every corner – there was a lot to take in at Mylan Park's recent celebration of inclusion during the April 13 "Community and Diversity Day" event in Morgantown, West Virginia.

In the center of it all was an incredibly visual representation of the unique differences and similarities of families that make up Morgantown's thriving community. Using a corkboard and string, event attendees created a "Web of Inclusion" and discovered many connections to each other.

The FirstEnergy Foundation recently provided a $15,000 grant to help the Mylan Park Foundation put on this year's event, which boasted hundreds of attendees of all ages and backgrounds.

View photos of the Community and Diversity event on FirstEnergy's Flickr page.

Over the past 25 years, Mylan Park, which began as 30-acres of reclaimed mine land, has developed into Monongalia County's largest event complex, where the community regularly comes together to compete in sports, share ideas and learn new skills.

"This event brought local families together to experience the diversity within our community," said Ron Justice, Mylan Park Foundation Board President. "We are so grateful to the FirstEnergy Foundation for helping us introduce children and their parents to other cultures through their foods, music, dances, hobbies and sports."

Nearby West Virginia University and different corporations located within the city continue to grow a diverse community of people from different cultures and nationalities.

The goal is for initiatives like Mylan Park's Community and Diversity Day to enhance the well-being of the Monongalia Community by promoting social interaction, and to further stimulate economic growth in the local and regional areas.

Lorna Wisham, President of the FirstEnergy Foundation, said the FirstEnergy Foundation is proud to support nonprofits like Mylan Park that are working to make lives better in West Virginia communities served by Mon Power.

"Mylan Park's mission and its event align with our company's commitment to diverse, equitable and inclusive communities where everyone feels safe, valued, included and respected," she said. "We are proud to have supported this great event."

Media Contact: Hannah Catlett 440-554-5346