On 12 September 2006, Buzz Buffington was officially named an Anderson County, Tennessee Hero! Buzz, who lives in Clinton, is a singular example of what community service and the volunteer spirit are all about. His efforts to make Anderson County a better place to live are highly commendable and worthy of recognition. Buzz has set a standard that all retirees and citizens could use as a model as they decide how to restructure their lives after leaving the work force.
Buzz Buffington
Buzz retired from TVA in October of 1994. He and his wife Flo have lived in Clinton since the early 1990s. During his career with TVA, Buzz worked in the natural resources area. During his 20-plus years of service with TVA, he served in a number of different positions among which were Manager of the Agency’s Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area in Western Kentucky and Director of TVA Natural Resources.
To say Buzz is obsessed with fly fishing would not be an exaggeration; but, even Buzz knows that you just can’t fish every day. He knows a good citizen has to give back to his community.
Buzz (Center) with Representative
Jim Hackworth (L), his wife Flo (R),
and friend John Thurman (back) who
nominated him for the Hero Award
Since his retirement from TVA, Buzz has played a leading role in preserving our environment and making Anderson County a more beautiful and safe place to live. He has volunteered with the Marlow Volunteer Fire Department; been a leader in the Clinch River Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Coal Creek Watershed Foundation, and has worked with his wife, Flo, to help make the Appalachian Arts and Crafts Center a successful enterprise.
Buzz shown with a few of the over 6,000 tires that he has helped remove from the Clinch River and Coal Creek
Buzz teaching kids the art of tying flies
at Kids Fish Free Day on the
Clinch River in 2004
A select few of the projects that Buzz has volunteered thousands of hours on include:
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The leader in ongoing effort that to date has recruited volunteers to remove over 6,000 illegally dumped tires from the Clinch River and Coal Creek in Anderson County. |
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Assisted with the state-mandated Anderson County countywide hazard mitigation plan that re-shapes Anderson County and local communities into a more resilient framework, enabling it to recover more quickly and easily from disasters. |
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Volunteered to install and design a special storm water sampling system throughout Coal Creek and a biomonitoring system in the Clinch River to document the effects of sediment problems and how they affect aquatic life in the Clinch River. The Clinch River is an Anderson County treasure. |
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Coordinates activities in the creek during Coal Creek Health Day at Briceville School to demonstrate to the students how the health of the creek is a barometer of their health. |
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Conducts a fly-tying class each year and donates all proceeds to the Clinch River Chapter of Trout Unlimited’s conservation efforts. |
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Volunteered on major appliance dump clean-ups along the banks of the Clinch River and in Coal Creek that have removed several tons of debris including refrigerators, satellite dishes, etc. |
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Helped clear and restore the historic Briceville Ball Park for the Coal Creek kids |
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Flood prevention – participates in Coal Creek’s Deadwood Removal Days to help volunteers clear debris from bridges to reduce flooding. People have died from past flooding in Coal Creek. |
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Worked on Coal Creek bank stabilization projects which won a national award from FEMA. |
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Working with Tennessee Land Trust to establish conservation easements along the Clinch River. |
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Illegal trash dump clean-up, which won TDEC’s 2002 Aquatic Resource Preservation Award. |
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Volunteer at the annual “Kids Fish Free Day” on the Clinch River and teaches kids the joy of fly fishing and how to take care of our beautiful environment. |
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Teaching not only Clinton children, but also the Coal Creek children, the value of staying in school and going to college to be able to take care of themselves and their community. |
| In the late 1990s, Buzz joined the Marlow Volunteer Fire Department. According to Dale Lezniak, Chief of the Department, Buzz has played a significant role within the Department. He currently serves as Administrative Officer. In that capacity, he oversees all department spending and devotes a considerable amount of time each month to the Department. Chief Lezniak states that Buzz has been “a tremendous help and is a big asset” for the MVFD. |
| For several years Buzz has been in charge of maintenance and repairs for the Arts and Crafts Guild and has devoted much time toward ensuring that the facility is in good operational condition. This nonprofit has been an Anderson County fixture and popular stop for visitors to the area for many years; and Buzz has been a great asset for the group. |
All of us should consider community service and volunteerism as an important commonly shared citizen value. Our primary reason for nominating Buzz is to highlight for the citizens of Anderson County the actions of a person who goes above and beyond what is normally expected and who is a model for others and continues to make a significant contribution to the county. Buzz is truly an “impact difference- maker”.
Buzz has the ability to explain a problem and a course of action in terms that motivates others. He uses his talents, knowledge, and strengths and contributes to what is important to him. He proves that if you work towards things you are passionate about, it never feels like work.