Whether it’s a discussion with a colleague on the Senate floor, a meeting with an out-of-state group, or at the airport, I am always hearing from others about how much they love our state and the people who call it home.
Sometimes, it’s a comment about its breathtaking natural beauty seen at Blackwater Falls State Park in Tucker County or the fun had during a weekend trip to the New River Gorge. Other times, it’s a middle school student who learned new facts during a field trip to Harpers Ferry National Park, a high school student who just submitted an application to Marshall following a campus visit to Huntington, or a family who recently took a holiday trip to Wheeling to view the Winter Festival of Lights at Oglebay.
Or maybe it’s a game in Mountaineer Stadium, a visit to Girls’ State in Elkins or a bike ride on a trail in Greenbrier County. We are all connected by these wonderful experiences that exist here at home.
The comments that stick out the most — and the ones I hear the most — have to do with how kind and hospitable West Virginians are. I like to call that the “West Virginia spirit,” and I believe it truly sets our state apart from the rest.
Let’s continue to keep up this West Virginia way by helping a friend in need, being kind to a stranger or volunteering in your community. By doing so, we can continue to set an example for others to follow — whether they are from West Virginia or not — and we can continue to leave a positive, lasting impression to those we meet here at home, across the country, and around the world.