Oshel Craigo was given the Mayo Lester Community Service Award on Jan. 26 by the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce at its Annual Dinner Meeting.
POCA -- The Putnam County Chamber of Commerce recently presented the 2006 Mayo Lester Community Service Award to Oshel Craigo at the Putnam Chamber Annual Dinner Meeting.
The meeting took place Jan. 26 at Wellington's of Scarlet Oaks with 250 people in attendance. The Mayo Lester Community Service Award was named after the Chamber's founder and first Board Chairman, Mayo Lester, who was the first recipient of the award in 1979.
The criteria used in choosing the recipient includes the positive impact made because of action taken, an extraordinary amount of uncompensated time devoted to a project or projects, creativity and initiative displayed beyond what is expected, and a high degree of personal sacrifice. It is much more than being a good citizen or a good friend.
The Chamber said Craigo has served Putnam County in many capacities as a private employer of Gino's and Tudor's Biscuit World and through his years of public service as a member of the House of Delegates and State Senator. He represented the 4th Senatorial District for 24 years, the last 10 of which he served as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. A few of the positive changes for Putnam County that Oshel was directly involved with include:
* Helping to raise financial support for the Museum in the Community, The Putnam County Library System and Parks & Recreation.
* Contributing to the countywide high school athletic clubs, band boosters, other school improvement projects and other organizations, including the Make a Wish Foundation of West Virginia.
* Enabling funding and support to secure the development of water and sewer infrastructure throughout the county.
* Leading the campaign to widen Teays Valley Road to three lanes and supporting the development of U.S. 35 into a four-lane highway.
* Directing the charge to keep more than 300 health care jobs in Putnam County and preserving the existence of the county's only hospital.
