Applause to Meals on Wheels of Randolph County, which was presented a donation check for $10,000 from Movement Mortgage. Movement Mortgage representatives nominate local non-profit organizations nationwide for its annual GraceWorks grant. Meals on Wheels of Randolph County doesn’t receive federal funding, so it survives on private donations and annual funding from the Tygart Valley United Way and Randolph County Commission. Davis Medical Center has been preparing meals for the organization for the past 50 years.

Applause to the news that Randolph County had the second-highest county total of deer harvested during the 2024-25 West Virginia hunting seasons, according to statistics from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. A total of 4,065 deer were harvested in Randolph County, which was second only to the 4,943 deer harvested in Preston County during 2024-25. This is good news for Randolph County tourism, which draws hunters from around West Virginia and other states as well.

Applause to the Tygart Valley United Way, which is celebrating crossing the finish line on the 2025 community fundraising campaign, having raised more than $600,000 to help support the local community. A Campaign Celebration was held at the Robert Mollohan Research Center in Fairmont, with awards presented during the event. Local award winners included Mike Bell of Elkins, who received the Spirit of the Tygart Award for his voluneer work, and Performance Chevrolet of Elkins, which was honored for contributing more than $4,000 from its February car sales promotion.

Applause to the Blackwater Ministerial Association, which has received more than $130,000 from a Directed Congressional Spending Grant to support construction of its new permanent food pantry location in Thomas. Facilitated by former Senator Joe Manchin after he was contacted by the pantry, the grant, which gives the non-profit organization $132,000, had a $84,390 match requirement that necessitated a successful local fundraising effort for the organization. The BMA Food Pantry’s new, permanent location will be at 374 Quail Ridge Rd in Thomas. Construction of the new facility is expected to be completed by this summer, and operations will move into the new facility as soon as it is ready.