05/18/2026
Wythe County Earns Two 2026 VACo Achievement Awards for Emergency Services, Outdoor Recreation
WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – Wythe County has earned two 2026 Achievement Awards from the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo), recognizing innovative local government programs that strengthen public safety, outdoor recreation and quality of life in rural communities.
The county was honored for "Launching Wythe County Emergency Services: A Regional Funding and Rural Response Model" and "The Reed Creek Blueway." VACo announced the awards May 11, selecting 40 programs statewide from 103 submissions.
“Receiving two VACo Achievement Awards is a tremendous honor for Wythe County and a reflection of the hard work, collaboration and forward-thinking leadership taking place across our community,” said Allyson Williams, public information officer and grants coordinator for Wythe County. “These projects demonstrate how rural localities can create meaningful solutions that improve quality of life, strengthen public safety and invest in long-term community development.”
Launching Wythe County Emergency Services: A Regional Funding and Rural Response Model
The award-winning Emergency Services initiative recognized Wythe County's efforts to establish a county-led Emergency Services Department to improve the reliability and consistency of emergency medical response countywide. The program highlighted the county's use of regional funding, phased implementation, community education programs and support for volunteer agencies to build a more sustainable emergency services system.
Since launching in spring 2024, Wythe County Emergency Services has expanded training and public education opportunities, established a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and secured more than $540,000 in grant funding to support equipment, workforce development and community preparedness initiatives.
The Reed Creek Blueway
The Reed Creek Blueway project was recognized for transforming informal and often unsafe creek access into a structured, publicly accessible outdoor recreation corridor. The project established permanent public access points at Kents Lane Portage Park and Millers Creek Portage Park through strategic easements and grant funding partnerships.
The Blueway provides safe, legal and free public access for paddling, fishing and outdoor recreation while supporting tourism and economic activity in Wythe County. The project was funded in part through a $100,000 grant from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation.
According to VACo Executive Director Dean Lynch, this year’s submissions showcased “the creativity, leadership, and commitment county officials bring every day to solving real challenges and improving the quality of life for residents across the Commonwealth.”
The VACo Achievement Awards program is a competitive statewide program that recognizes innovative local government programs across Virginia.