The Third Annual Impact Festival was held on Aug. 3 at the Bridgeville Public Library. Comprised of 30+ vendors ranging from children’s books, community organizations, handmade crafts, to a children’s adventure area with inflatables, face painting, climbing wall, etc., as well as several food vendors, the festival is one of many events held by The Inspiring Project, a social media movement created by Greenwood native Chase Marvil.
The Inspiring Project was originally created in order to raise awareness for mental health, to try to stop bullying, and to spread positivity. “The Inspiring Project formed back in 2014, when I was using social media like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter,” Marvil said. “I realized that there was a need for online encouragement and inspiration, and I just began posting my own inspirational posts for my followers to see.” Across the various social media platforms, Marvil grew a following of 75,000, and had begun to receive messages and letters from all across the nation and even the globe, even gaining the attention of MTV in 2015.
Shown is an aerial view of the set up of the Impact Festival. The third annual event took place last Saturday in Bridgeville. Submitted photo
When it came to the Impact Festival, Marvil says it wasn’t something that he originally intended on doing. “I used to fundraise and attend Apple Scrapple, but nothing to the amount of this community event,” Marvil said. “I partnered with the Bridgeville Library to hold ‘Impact Nights’ which were held once a month and offered kids and teens an evening to play games, network, and have dinner. Once COVID started, I wasn’t able to hold these events anymore and eventually, we never got back to them.” A few months later, however, he was contacted by All Blown Up Inflatables, and in May 2022, the first Impact Festival was held at the Bridgeville Public Library.
Originally, this third festival was to be held in May of this year, but unfortunately due to weather conditions, it was postponed. Marvil mentioned that he tries to hold the festival in May every year due to it being Mental Health Awareness Month, and while it’s never an enjoyable experience to reschedule, he was lucky that it was easy to communicate with the vendors and others involved in holding the festival. Marvil also mentioned that he learned that, despite the heat, people are still willing to come out and support a cause, which in turn helps provide funding for local scholarships and donations to mental health and suicide prevention programs in the area.
When it comes to the amount of attention The Inspiring Project has gotten, Marvil says that it’s gone far above what he ever could have expected. In 2016, he set out with a goal to reach 100,000 people. Now, nearly 10 years later, Marvil estimates that he’s reached over 500,000 people, primarily due to community events, school appearances, conference presentations, and social media reach. “It’s actually crazy to think I have been able to reach that many people, even if it was just for a second, in a positive way,” Marvil said. “I have been blessed with a great support system and community network that has played a huge role in being able to impact that amount of people. I never want to make this organization just about me, as I like to thank those that have built me up over the years to keep going.” Marvil was even a Jefferson Award winner in 2020 due to the work The Inspiring Project had accomplished.
Marvil stated that while he is not able to attend schools like he used to, if any school or club is interested in collaborating on something involving youth, teens, or adults and making an impact in a positive way, he is open for a discussion. To keep up with Marvil and The Inspiring Project, or to keep an eye out for future events held by The Inspiring Project, you can follow The Inspiring Project on Facebook and Instagram at @theinspiringproject.
