Applause to the 10 Randolph County high school students who attended American Legion Mountaineer Boys State at Jacksons Mill this summer. Participants for the 2025 American Legion Mountaineer Boys State included Anthony Bennett, Alexander Broschart, Kaden George, Andrew Harris, Logan Jones, Daniel Lipscomb, Aiden Lowther, Preston Nixon, Dempsey Phares and Mason Phillips. American Legion H.W. Daniels Post 29 in Elkins sent the students to Boys State, an honors, leadership, and citizenship Academy which has existed since 1936 to teach good government through participation to the outstanding male high school junior class members in the state of West Virginia.

Applause to Randolph County CLIMB for hosting “Operation Backpack” last weekend in the parking lot of the West Virginia Wood Technology Center. The back-to-school giveaway offered free backpacks and supplies for area school students preparing for the opening day of school. Each child in attendance received a backpack filled with items including binders, folders, notebooks, highlighters and more. Children taking part in the event also had access to free hygiene supplies, including shampoo, soap, body wash, deodorant, feminine hygiene products and more.

Applause to the Tucker Community Foundation, which is preparing for its biggest annual fundraiser, Run For It. The foundation has announced that its annual grant cycle has been moved this year. In 2025, the Tucker Community Foundation hopes to award more than $140,000 in grants. Grant applications are currently being accepted, and the deadline to have grant applications turned in to the Foundation is Friday, Sept. 19 at 3 p.m. The 2025 Run For It, a fund-raising 2K walk and USATF-certified 5K run, is set for Sept. 27. The team registration deadline is Aug. 31. Since 2007, Run For It has raised more than $3.2 million.