BELMONT COUNTY, OH (WTRF) - One portion of Belmont County has been awarded a Recreation Economy for Rural Communities grant.

Only 25 R-E-R-C grants were given out nationwide.

There's no money involved, just a chance to enhance the way they boost their outdoor recreation economy.

It's for two communities--Barnesville and Powhatan--and the space between them, which is the Captina Watershed.

They form a local steering committee and technical experts from the federal government help facilitate the conversations.

It's a way for these two communities to work together to figure out ways that they can tap into the outdoor economy, which in 2023 was over a trillion dollars. And how their small businesses on their main streets can tap into that."

Crystal Lorimor, executive director of the Belm

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