Published: March 03, 2008 11:48 am      

Favara seeks county commissioner seat

Editor's note: Annette Favara submitted this announcement for her candidacy.

KEYSER, W.Va. - Noted businesswoman and entrepreneur Annette "Vinetta" Favara has announced her intention to run for the office of Mineral County Commissioner.

"I hope to work with the community to expand opportunities; more opportunities for businesses, employment, housing and recreation. I want our young people to stay here and raise their families, and I want to encourage business growth in order to create the jobs to help them stay."

Favara, a resident of the county for more than 34 years, has many achievements to recommend her to the community. As a young mother of two, Favara began a successful engraving business 28 years ago that has gained local and national attention, Vinetta Specialty Co. and Auto License Service. She and her husband have renovated the Route 46 Carwash and apartments. She has been a licensed and bonded settlement agent for the state of Maryland since 2003, a loan officer and notary public serving West Virginia and Maryland.

Always involved in the community, Favara took on the job as president of Apple Alley Players and McNeill's Rangers and won a $10,000 grant to rejuvenate the ailing theater group. She was instrumental in partnering the Potomac Symphony Orchestra with the play at the newly refurbished Larenim Park. She worked with the Mineral County school system and Potomac State College to support the Artist-in-Residence program.

"I feel strongly that the arts are an important part of education. Our school system is excellent. However, we must support it so that the excellence is maintained and our students get a well-rounded education. Many businesses look to the local education system before they elect to move into an area. We must also be sure our system offers training for workers, and we must be sure to offer technical training to qualify our workers."

Favara helped to start the Potomac girls' softball league and made that possible as curriculum in our school system. She served as an officer of Fountain PTA and Chapter 1; president of the Young Republicans of Mineral County, WV Young Republicans National Committeewomen; secretary of the National Young Republicans, Fountain Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary.

The family has been an AFS host family.

She is the recipient of the 2004 Ronald Reagan Republican Gold Medal Award, 1996 Mineral Republican Executive Committee Award, 2005 Who's Who Worldwide, 1981-1984 Outstanding Young Woman of America, National Republican Congressional Business Advisory Council, 2003 National Republican Businesswoman of the Year, 2003-2008 Fountain Volunteer Fire Department Community Service Award and 2008 WV Deputy Sheriffs Association Sponsorship Safe-T-Net.

Her goals to improve the county include to help bring in businesses to offer the jobs that will help young people stay in the area; to work with the community to assure housing and schools are sufficient to attract a growing population and new businesses; to develop the infrastructure, to provide more service and assistance for the elderly; and to expand opportunities for recreation.

Annette and her husband, Vincent, are the parents of two children, Jennifer Clark and Andrew Favara, and grandparents of four. Favara says she feels strongly about keeping families here and about making it possible for them to have opportunities. "That's why I say Favara for Families. A Partnership with Communities. Together we CAN make a difference." Log on to www.favara2008.com.