Category Archive: In the News

1. Chaffin Luhana Foundation Makes Sizable Donation as Oak Glen High School Announces Plans for Broadcast and Media Centers

   May 4, 2015 1:34 PM Leave a Comment

   Weirton, WV-The Chaffin Luhana Foundation is proud to team up with Oak Glen High School to announce plans for the new Chaffin Luhana Broadcast and Media Centers at the school. The Foundation, founded by Chaffin Luhana Partners Eric Chaffin and Roopal Luhana, and their families, has made a $25,000 donation to create the broadcast and media centers.

   Lissa Dulick and Morgan Martin, English teachers at Oak Glen High School, are heading up the media center project along with Oak Glen High School Principal Dave Smith, Assistant Principal Carla Carinci-Bell, Ted Arneault, History, Government and Psychology teacher, and Julie Zoellers, Math and Technology teacher.

   The Oak Glen team wants to improve students’ communication skills, analytical/research skills, and problem-solving skills. They believe the media centers will provide students with a place to learn and thrive in a different kind of environment. They envision the media centers in particular as a “hub of the building where students and faculty can go to read, write, study, create projects, communicate and collaborate.”

   “Our media team has made great strides in creating a resource that will meet the needs of 21st century learners, and this addition to Oak Glen will provide a positive, collegiate atmosphere for our students and faculty. We feel a facility like this will challenge students with a space that encourages creativity, self-sufficiency, and purpose. It has been an exciting collaborative project to be a part of, and it is incredibly rewarding for all of us to see this concept begin to take shape,” Ms. Dulick said.

   “The Media Center will be a tremendous asset for our students and faculty as a rallying point for data driven projects based on an analysis of literary sources. This project makes a pivotal step toward our school’s goal to enrich our curriculum with rigorous research projects,” Mr. Arneault said.

   Phase 1 of the Oak Glen High School Media Center is set to open in the fall of 2015 in the space currently used as a library. Principal Smith is thrilled with the progress already made by his team and has high hopes for the success the media centers will bring to its students.

   “Oak Glen High School is very fortunate to have developed a positive partnership with the Chaffin Luhana team. Our entire student body will benefit from this generous donation. Our goal is to become the highest achieving high school in the state of West Virginia and this media center is a huge step in us achieving this goal. The media center project will positively affect 100% of our students with their college and career readiness skills. Oak Glen High School and our community are indebted to the Chaffin Luhana team for this wonderful gift,” Mr. Smith said.
   Chaffin Luhana Partner Eric Chaffin is a 1989 graduate of Oak Glen High School, and also looks forward to helping students at his alma mater.

   “When my law firm expanded from New York City to its offices in Weirton, WV and Pittsburgh a little over two years ago, we did so knowing that we wanted to give back to the local communities. Since then, we have spoken to thousands of high school students about the dangers of distracted driving, we have been inspired by the Ohio Valley students to create the Chaffin Luhana Foundation Driver Awareness Challenge, and now we are proudly making a significant donation to Oak Glen to create the Chaffin Luhana Broadcast Media Centers. I graduated from Oak Glen in 1989, around the same time as Principal Smith. When Dave approached us about donating to the school, it was a no-brainer. Research and communication skills are key to our law firm’s success. We see the value in teaching students these skills early and that can happen only if they have access to appropriate materials. We are excited to help out and hope the media centers inspire students to learn, and encourage people with humble roots to work hard, achieve success in their chosen professions, and give back to West Virginia when they can. Doing Good by Doing Right is our firm motto, and that philosophy can help build stronger communities as this project reflects,” Mr. Chaffin said.
   When the first phase of the media centers opens in the fall of 2015, members of the media will be invited back to Oak Glen to view the progress.

   Please join us at Oak Glen High School on Wednesday, May 20th, 2015 at 1:30pm. Eric Chaffin, Roopal Luhana, and members of the media center team at Oak Glen will be available for interviews.

2. Chaffin Luhana Foundation Launches First CLF DRAW Challenge, Chaffin Luhana’s First Contact Manager and Foundation Spokesperson/Paralympian Speak out on Blog Talk Radio

   January 13, 2015 5:17 PM Leave a Comment

   The Chaffin Luhana Foundation is sponsoring the first-ever CLF Driver Awareness (DRAW) Challenge for students.  The Challenge is part of the Foundation and Firm’s efforts to drive down the staggering numbers of people injured or killed in distracted driving accidents each year.

   Kelly Camarote, the First Contact Manager at the Firm and Foundation Spokesperson/Paralympian Stephani Victor spoke out on Money for Lunch Radio on Thursday, December 11, 2014.

   Ms. Camarote organized several EndDD (end distracted driving) presentations at schools across the Ohio Valley in 2014.  Eric Chaffin, a Foundation trustee, and Ms. Victor teamed up to make the presentation to those schools which included Oak Glen, Quaker Valley, Wheeling Park and Weir High.  During those presentations they also spoke to students about the DRAW Challenge.  The DRAW Challenge encourages students to develop and submit their own real-world solution, via a 90 second video, to engage, educate and empower others to help end distracted driving.

   The winners of the 2015 CLF DRAW Challenge will be announced in January 2016.

   Find out more about the CLF DRAW Challenge and the Grand Prize Information including an all-expense paid trip to Park City, Utah to ski the slopes with Paralympian Stephani Victor, and scholarship prizes right here.

    

3. Chaffin Luhana Foundation Announces Launch of CLF Driver Awareness Challenge

   5:15 PM Leave a Comment

   NEW YORK, Oct. 6, 2014 – Did you know that car crashes are the number one youth killer in the United States, with 390,000+ Americans injured or killed in distracted driving accidents each year? To raise awareness of this critical issue, the Chaffin Luhana Foundation is teaming up with five-time Paralympic medalist Stephani Victor to launch the Foundation’s first CLF DRiver AWareness (“DRAW”) Challenge.

   The DRAW Challenge is designed to empower high school students to develop an effective awareness campaign to drive down distracted driving accidents in the U.S. Students, individually or in groups of two, along with an adult mentor, are encouraged to submit a video (up to 90 seconds long) that offers real-world solutions to combat distracted driving, either locally or nationwide. Submissions will be judged initially by social media voting, and then, ultimately, by a panel of nationally recognized judges and stakeholders. The winners — the 2015 CLF DRAW Challenge Scholars — will be announced in January 2016.

   “The Chaffin Luhana Foundation is committed to promoting student awareness about the perils of distracted driving,” said Eric Chaffin, co-founder of the Chaffin Luhana Foundation. “Our hope is that this competition will engage students in a dialogue about the importance of safe driving, educate them and their peers about the dangers of distracted driving, and empower them to make a difference in their communities.”

   The CLF DRAW Challenge Scholarship winners will be recognized at an honorees’ dinner during a life-changing weekend of skiing, mentoring and workshops in Park City, Utah, in March 2016.

   “When people see me, they often conclude that becoming disabled could never happen to them,” said Victor. “Similarly, they believe they are immune to the consequences of driving distracted. How I share my story makes the consequences real and empowers students to take preventative action for themselves and educate others. Being of service has been the primary means for coping with my loss and I am grateful to serve in the role of CLF spokesperson.”

   The Foundation’s video submission portal will launch later this year. In the meantime, high school students and the general public can learn more about the contest at www.ChaffinLuhanaFoundation.org.

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   About the Chaffin Luhana Foundation

   The Chaffin Luhana Foundation, established in 2010, encourages the development of human potential and supports community empowerment through the endowment of funds to deserving recipients, the creation of community-based enrichment projects, and the support of important scientific research that meaningfully impacts the under-privileged and sick in society. For more information, please visit chaffinluhanafoundation.org.

   About Stephani Victor

   Stephani Victor, spokesperson for the Chaffin Luhana Foundation, was 26 when she lost her legs as the victim of a distracted driving accident. Despite the loss, she went on to become a medal-winning Paralympic skier. Victor now works as a motivational speaker, helping those with physical challenges to realize their true strengths, while fighting to change public attitudes and perceptions about disability. For more information, please visit stephanivictor.com.

4. CLF Fight to End Distracted Driving Continues, CLF DRAW Challenge Announced

   5:14 PM Leave a Comment

   It is a cause and a mission that the Chaffin Luhana Foundation is determined to conquer. Ending distracted driving.

   On Monday, October 20th, 2014, Chaffin Luhana Partner Eric Chaffin and Paralympian and Chaffin Luhana Foundation Spokesperson, Stephani Victor, went to Quaker Valley High School in Leetsdale, PA outside of Pittsburgh to encourage students to end distracted driving.

   Stephani is a 1987 alum of Quaker Valley and was excited to return to her hometown to speak with students and share her powerful story. An accident involving a distracted driver robbed Stephani of both of her legs when she was just 26 years old. Stephani became a Paralympic downhill skier, winning five medals in three Paralympic Winter Games.

   This is the second time Eric was joined by Stephani to speak to students about ending distracted driving. They paired up in August and spoke to students at Oak Glen High School, Eric’s alma mater, in New Cumberland, WV.

   Eric and Stephani continued their multi-school tour to end distracted driving on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 when they return to West Virginia and speak to students at Wheeling Park and Weir High Schools.

   During their visit to Quaker Valley and when speaking on Wednesday at Wheeling Park and Weir High, Eric and Stephani invited students to participate in the new CLF DRAW Challenge. CLF DRAW Challenge Scholars will win college scholarships, ski with Stephani at Deer Valley in Utah and enjoy an honorees dinner.

   Eric and Stephani also shared the Foundation’s mission and new challenge on October 21, on Pittsburgh Today Live.

5. Chaffin Luhana and Chaffin Luhana Foundation Give Back to Local Veterans

   5:04 PM Leave a Comment

   Last year, Veterans Day was on Tuesday, November 11, 2014. It’s a day to recognize the men and women who have risked their lives to protect our country. Chaffin Luhana and the Chaffin Luhana Foundation is taking part in this day of remembrance and helping local veterans in the first-ever “IB (Injury Board) Day of Action.”

   The Injury Board was started by attorneys in 2001 who wanted to help those who were injured or facing a civil litigation matter find representation. Chaffin Luhana is a member of IB, which encourages members to give back to their communities. This year, the IB organized a “nationwide community outreach effort” to help veterans in the firms’ respective areas of business. At least 30 law firms from across the country are participating in the 2014 “IB Day of Action.” Chaffin Luhana is participating in two cities, New York and Pittsburgh.

   The Chaffin Luhana Foundation sponsored donations that were purchased by employees of Chaffin Luhana from the New York, Weirton, and Pittsburgh offices. These donations included articles of clothing and hygiene items that the Pittsburgh and New York VA facilities needed.

   All donations were delivered by Chaffin Luhana employees to the Pittsburgh VA facility and New York VA-Manhattan Campus on Thursday, November 6, 2014.

6. Chaffin Luhana Partners Participate in Reef Relief Service Project

   4:57 PM Leave a Comment

   Chaffin Luhana Partners Eric Chaffin and Roopal Luhana, and their families headed to Key West in October 2014, but they didn’t go there to sunbathe and swim. Instead, they spent time “Doing Good by Doing Right,” by participating in a Reef Relief service project organized by the Injury Board in Key West, Florida. The Injury Board conference was held between October 9, 2014 and October 12, 2014.

   As part of Reef Relief’s Clean Water Campaign, Eric, Roopal and other trial lawyers from across the country helped remove marine debris to protect the wildlife and keep the coral reef healthy in Key West.

   What is Reef Relief?

   According to Reef Relief, North America’s only barrier reef is “approximately six miles seaward of the Florida Keys in waters that are typically fifteen to thirty feet deep.” Reef Relief is a non-profit organization that started in 1987. The organization also helps reduce pollution brought in from travelers and helps to educate those on the importance of our reef system. Reef Relief has several programs and projects designed to improve and protect the coral reef ecosystem, including:

   • Clean Water Campaign: Helps improve water quality in the Florida Keys.
   • Jamaica Coral Reef Protection Program: Installed 35 relief mooring buoys in Negril, Jamaica in 1991 and returned to train preservationists on how to patrol the reefs.
   • Key West Reef Mooring Buoy Program: Installed and maintained 116 mooring buoys at Key West coral reefs.
   • Coral Reef Conservation Program: Helps educate people on how to protect the reef ecosystem and the benefits of doing so. It maintains the Environmental Education System in Key West.
   • Guanaja Bay Islands, Honduras Project: Installed 36 reef mooring buoys to protect fragile coral reefs around Guanaja.
   • Coral Nursery Project: Helped save storm-ravaged corals and helped them survive.
   • The Bahamas Project: Coral reef conservation plan in the Bahamas to help educate, install reef mooring buoys, among other things.
   • The Cuba Project: Efforts to conserve Cuban coral reefs.