M. Ray Allen, a retired educator who made his debut as a poet as a featured reader in 1968 at the opening ceremony for the Douglass House Center in Long Beach, California, has won four poetry awards in the 2008 Green River Writers Writing Contests. Allen donated his prize money from the awards to the Clifton Forge Public Library.

President and founder of Appalfolks of America Association (AAA), Allen serves as director of the Alleghany Highlands Poetry Workshop conducted as an AAA outreach monthly at the Clifton Forge Library.

Allen has been a featured reader of his poetry at Douthat State Park, Jenny Wiley State Park, Berea College, Radford University, Center in the Square, Paramount Kings Dominion, The Book Tree Store, Mountain Book Store, Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, Southern Seminary and various writers' workshops.

Allen invites anyone who is interested in poetry and songwriting to attend workshops that are held on the last Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at the Clifton Forge Public Library's Michael Armstrong Room.

The Allen family owns and operates the Buckhorne Country Store and Campground in Alleghany County near the entrance to Douthat State Park.

Source: Virginian Review - Saturday, July 26, 2008