D.J. Allen, right, former Little Kanawha RC&D coordinator, receives the Distinguished Mountaineer Award, presented by Norman Bailey, chief of staff at the West Virginia Department of Agriculture. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG – The former coordinator of the Little Kanawha Resource Conservation & Development was honored for her service and received the Distinguished Mountaineer Award from the state of West Virginia.

D.J. Allen was presented a service award from the organization by President Dick Waybright for her service from 2006 to 2024. She was administrative assistant to the coordinator from 2006 to 2011 and then became coordinator, a role she held until leaving in November 2024.

She followed Norman Bailey, the previous coordinator and mentor, who is the chief of staff at the West Virginia Department of Agriculture.

Bailey presented her with the Distinguished Mountaineer Award on behalf of former Gov. Jim Justice. Bailey then presented her with a specialty wreath made from West Virginia pine and other resources.

The time with the council has been rewarding, Allen said.

“There have been a lot of changes over the years and I’ve been fortunate to work with a lot of great people and organizations,” she said.

The Distinguished Mountaineer Award honors Allen for devoting her life to helping and improving the lives of others. She has been involved in grant writing and administration, planning, designing and working as a construction volunteer.

Allen was instrumental in establishing the Ritchie County Veterans Memorial in Cairo, playgrounds, community building upgrades, waterlines, miles of trails, outdoor classrooms and the Lawn & Garden Expo.

“D.J. has volunteered thousands of hours to her community and her love and compassion for supporting her fellow West Virginian is the epitome of the true Mountaineer spirit,” the award said, then notes she “was recognized as a caring and giving person and her dedication and commitment to her community, career and the great state of West Virginia has been an outstanding example to us all.”

She and her husband, Ron Allen, attend Hughes River Presbyterian Church in Cairo and they

are owners of Country Trails Bikes. D.J. has been involved with the North Bend Rails-to-Trails

Foundation for more than 33 years and worked at the “Ritchie Gazette” for over 30 years, assisted with the International Sports Jamboree for over 42 years and is a member of the Ritchie County Historic Landmarks Commission.

The Allens have two daughters and six grandchildren.

Little Kanawha Resource Conservation and Development C& serves Calhoun, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Wetzel, Wirt and Wood Counties. Logan Cannon serves as current Coordinator. For more information about the RC&D or Project Sharing, contact Little Kanawha RC&D, 2309 Gihon Road, Parkersburg.