There are many West Virginians who already have come home to start their own businesses, pursue careers in the state’s expanding industries or discover the balance they’ve been seeking in their lives.

Excerpts of more than 40 of their stories are told in a special edition of Wonderful West Virginia magazine, titled “Home for the Holidays…to Stay!” Single copies are available by request.

Expanded versions of many of the profiles, plus others, are offered below.

Read the Come Home to West Virginia Spokesperson Contest entries, too.

2009 West Virginia Picnic, Ocala, Fla.
The West Virginia picnic has moved to The Villages near Ocala, Fla. This covered-dish event has taken place for more than thirty years in Brandon and Bradenton, Fla. It is a chance to reconnect with other Mountain State friends who have relocated to Florida.

Date: Sunday March 1, 2009
Time: Social Hour 10:30 -11:30am; Lunch: noon.
Location: LaHacienda Center, 1200 Avenida Central, The Villages, Fla.
For further information: E-mail: wvpicnic2009@aol.com