By Matthew Britton, Coal Valley News
WHEELING, W.Va. — The Little Coal River Celebration co-founder Lilly Bias was recognized as “volunteer of the year” by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection during the 2023 West Virginia Educational Conference on Litter Control & Solid Waste Management at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling on Oct. 23.
Bias, a 2021 Scott High School and Boone Career and Technical Center (BCTC) graduate, co-founded the Little Coal River Celebration alongside BCTC Adventure Tourism instructor Bobby Miller in 2020.
The annual stream and roadside cleanup event in Danville and Madison removed 4.12 tons of trash and 108 tires earlier this year.
Bias shared her thoughts on receiving recognition for the project.
“They said that I had gotten it, and I didn’t even know that I was nominated before then,” she said.
“It was definitely a surprise, but I was really excited because Bobby (Miller) and I have put a bunch of work into it. It was just nice to be recognized in that way.”
