Preservation and celebration of our past can be a key foundation for our future.

With that in mind, we support the recent preservation awards to honor the individuals and organizations who are making a difference here in Clark County.

For the second straight year, the Winchester Historic Preservation Commission and the Winchester-Clark County Heritage Commission recognized those who are maintaining, restoring and preserving our history.

The organizations handed out five awards last week.

Recipients were determined after reviewing nominations that focused on two criteria: Does the work help maintain the historic character and is the project something you would want to show someone as an example of a finished project?

Honorees were:

— Interior Rehabilitation Award, Winchester Arts Council, for the interior renovation at Leeds Center for the Arts

— Champion Award, Lara Early Thornbury, for purchasing and renovating several downtown properties

— Champion Award, Edward and Vanessa Ziembroski, for restoring the Winchester Opera House and the Baptist church and parsonage on Lexington Avenue

— Craftsperson Award, stonemason Stuart Joynt, for his work to rebuild walls and reset markers at several historic cemeteries

— Site Rehabilitation Award, John Hodgkin, for sponsoring the restoration of the Thomas Goff Cemetery

We think it is critically important for Clark County to preserve, cherish and celebrate its past. This rich heritage is what the community is built on and what is ingrained into the character of its people.

Each of these individuals and the one organization are worthy of this important recognition that shows their passion for our community’s past but also, most importantly, its future.