“Volunteers like you, are more than the heart of many great projects – you are the heart of our communities” Governor Earl Ray Tomblin recently said about Mitch DeBoard. Mitch was recognized for his commitment and dedication, receiving a commendation for volunteer service to West Virginia due largely to his work in Clay with the Buffalo Creek Watershed Improvement Association. After a period of dormancy the watershed was revamped by Mitch, a current board member, around seven years ago and has been engaged in a plethora of community projects since then. The watershed is responsible for the annual trout stockings of Buffalo Creek, multiple stream cleanups, the Trout in the Classroom project, a liming project in Taylor Fork as well the newly acquired lease for a twenty-two mile hiking/biking/horseback riding trail from Pisgah to Widen. Clay County has greatly benefited from Mitch’s contributions and would like to congratulate him for his accomplishments as a volunteer in our community.