Remembering the nation's heroes
beckley – 'The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.' — Calvin Coolidge.
The 20th anniversary of the LZRainelle Veterans Reunion in Rainelle is one of several events which will provide residents in the region opportunities to pay homage to those who have given their lives to protect the country's freedom.
Also, the Raleigh County Veterans and First Responders Museum and the American Legion Post 32 Veterans Cemetery will be sites for several Memorial Day weekend events.
The LZRainelle event commenced Thursday and will run through Monday, May 26.
Run For The Wall is an organized cross-country motorcycle ride to honor veterans, their families and friends and to raise awareness of those still missing — Prisoners of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA).
After the Run For The Wall riders arrived Thursday and spent some time with Rainelle Elementary students and members of the public, they continued their journey to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., according to Emma Michelinie, chair of the LZRainelle Veterans Reunion committee. But, that doesn't put an end to the Greenbrier County activities. Riders representing Task Force Omega (TFO) of Kentucky, which was part of the group that launched Run For The Wall in 1989, will remain in Rainelle the rest of the weekend and take part in events. TFO will hold a service at Ponderosa Lodge on Rte. 60 before they depart the area on Sunday.
Other than the arrival and departure of the phalanx of riders Thursday, another prime highlight of the weekend in Rainelle was Friday night's anticipated candlelight memorial service at the Mountaineer Veterans Garden of Honor. In that scenario, thousands of flags, one representing each West Virginia soldier killed in action from World War I to present day, are displayed at the intersection of Rte. 60 and Rte. 20, on the hillside in front of Rainelle Medical Center. The display features about 1,000 solar lights, and organizers call it 'spectacular by day, serene by night.' It is on full display through Memorial Day.
An annual parade will begin at noon Saturday in Rainelle, with lineup starting at 11 a.m. Entries will be accepted to the time of lineup. 'The more, the better,' said Michelinie. West Virginia Gold Star Mothers will lead the parade as grand marshals. The parade will be graded by a point system, with a grand prize being awarded to the most patriotic entry, as well as winners in each of eight categories. Money prizes will be awarded.
Other Saturday highlights will include a Beckley Sno Biz food booth, music from Thomas Wayne Danley, Hidden Mountain Treasures and Goodson Boys, a bicycle contest, the annual murbles tournament and a fireworks display.
Throughout the weekend, visitors to Rainelle are encouraged to view the Greenbrier County Gold Star Mothers' Living Memorial Apple Orchard on Simms Mountain Road (3290 Tincher Road, Rainelle, WV 25962).
Michelinie said 'there's no words' to describe what the reunion weekend and activities mean to the community and to veterans and their families themselves. Locals continuing to put action behind their appreciation for those who have died defending their country is crucial, she said.
LZRainelle was established in 2005. For more information on the schedule of events, visit lzrainelle.org/events-schedule/.
• • •
The Raleigh County Veterans and First Responders Museum (201 South Eisenhower Drive, Beckley, WV 25801) will be open over the Memorial Day weekend on Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be many displays, as well as special guests and raffles for items and gifts.
There is no admission cost; however, donations are appreciated.
The schedules is as follows:
• Saturday, May 24: Place flags on headstones at the Veterans Cemetery, 9 a.m.; museum open for visitors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sunday, May 25: Museum open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; candlelight service at the Veterans Cemetery, 8 p.m.
• Monday, May 26: Museum open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; honor flags display, 12 p.m.
Individuals can meet at the American Legion Post 32 Veterans Cemetery at 9 a.m. on Saturday to place flags on all of the headstones. Coffee, hot cocoa and doughnuts will be supplied.
On Sunday, May 25, the candlelight service will be staged at the cemetery at 8 p.m. The event will feature a short concert of patriotic music by the Salvation Army's Beckley Brass Band. After the music, candlelights will be placed on each of the headstones. There is some seating, and refreshments will be provided.
For information, call Ron Hedrick at 304-228-6939.
Notes:
• The Dandelion Festival in White Sulphur Springs will run through Sunday, May 25. The activities on Sunday will include a veterans luncheon at Paisley Park (12 to 1:30 p.m.), to be catered by The Schoolhouse Hotel, and a veterans memorial service on the Main Stage (2 to 3 p.m.).
• The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve will open up the Thurmond Depot and the Grandview Visitor Center on Saturday, May 24, and both will be open through the Memorial Day weekend, according to a park spokesperson. Summer hours for both those facilities will be: Thurmond — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., open Wednesday to Sunday; and Grandview — 12 to 5 p.m., open Friday to Sunday.
Thurmond Depot tours will start next week at 11 a.m. on days the depot is open. There will also be afternoon talks at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center and pop-up programs at Sandstone and Grandview.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Everett police save grade school's camping trip from cancellation
The Brief Olivia Park Elementary's fifth-grade camping trip at Camp Killoqua was saved by the Everett Police Department, which provided male chaperons to meet the required student-to-adult ratio. Officer Wade Wyrick and other Everett officers volunteered their time, allowing students to experience outdoor education and see law enforcement in a positive light. The camp offers unique experiences for students from a high-crime neighborhood, emphasizing community involvement and support from local police. STANWOOD, Wash. - Olivia Park Elementary School was on the brink of canceling its fifth-grade camping trip. That is until the Everett Police Department stepped up just in time to save it. "That's what we do — Everett Police. If we have to step up, we do it for the community and especially for the kids. I think every kid deserves to go to camp," said Wade Wyrick, an officer with Everett Police Department. The south Everett students are staying overnight at Camp Killoqua, located in Stanwood, as part of the school's three-day outdoor education program. The opportunity is funded through a state grant. What they're saying "The food is really good. Overall, I'm just glad to be here with my friends. I'm glad that most of them got to come," said Cecilia, a student attending the camp. "It is the talk of fifth grade from the time they get to school until now," said school counselor Stacy Goody. "It's an experience I wish every single kid in the entire world could get." The backstory The school almost did not get the experience. Goody said 2024 was their first time attending camp, and they did not have enough male chaperons to meet the required student-to-adult ratio. "Male chaperons have been very challenging. So, last year we were very close, up until the day before we left, very close to not being able to come," said Goody. In a panic, the school reached out to Everett PD, and police chief John DeRousse answered their call for chaperon help. However, for the 2025 trip, the school ran into the same problem. On the brink of canceling once again, this time four male Everett officers stepped in, including Wyrick. The officer even brought his own Killoqua stories. "All the kids deserve a chance to go to Camp Killoqua. I think it was a blast. I have great memories from it. And once I heard that they were going to have to cancel it, I thought, well, if I can help prevent that, then let's do it," said Wyrick. "I think it was really nice of them, even with their own time and all that, to come over here and help us so that we would get to have this experience as fifth graders," said Cecilia. It's a breath of fresh air for Cecilia and her classmates, much different from the halls of their school in a neighborhood that's high in crime. "Camp provides them with a lot of unique experiences that a lot of these kids have never had and are kind of hard to get normally," said Tristan Pearson, lead outdoor education instructor at Camp Killoqua. It's not just the outdoor experience the officers are helping the kids have by being their chaperon, it's also a chance for young people to see another side of their local law enforcement. "I think it's really important that the kids see us in a different light. I'm not wearing my uniform, I'm not wearing a badge. I'm just a guy," said Wyrick. "The fact that we stepped up and did something off duty shows that we want to be part of our community, not only behind the badge, but within the community to help out too." "Went above and beyond to make sure that he had guys who could be here for us," said Goody. "Very, very thankful for Everett PD because we would not be here without them. We would have had to cancel." The Source Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Franque Thompson. Travis Decker manhunt: 'Remote' areas of 5 WA counties told to lock doors Former Army squadmate shares insight into Travis Decker's military past Miles Hudson found guilty on 2 counts of reckless driving in Seattle Key figures from Bryan Kohberger's youth summoned to Idaho for student murders trial Rochester dog training facility owner accused of killing employee during video shoot To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Local non-profit dedicated to helping homeless finds a new home
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Just a week and a half after moving out of their old building due to a sewage issue, Homeless Lives Matter is already getting ready to move into a new home. The non-profit is moving just down the street from its original location on 7th and Travis. Homeless Lives Matter had only been in the old building for around seven months, but had been an active non-profit for over a year. Founder Lisa Roffman has dedicated her time to helping the homeless in Wichita Falls, and she feels like the community understands her mission… After stepping up to help her find a new home for her work. 'It is crazy how the community has pulled together. Just on my Homeless Lives Matter page, it reached almost 8,000 people,' Roffman said. 'And that's from people sharing it and people know that we have a passion, that we have a purpose, and we're called to do what we're doing with the homeless.' The new building is over 4,000 square feet, and once it's completed, it will feature showers, a kitchen, as well as counseling and prayer services. Roffman has already begun cleaning and renovating the property, and she's optimistic that it will be up and running in around two weeks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Tampa City Council Member Gwen Henderson dies
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tampa City Council Member Gwen Henderson died of natural causes Monday night. She was 60 years old. Henderson was elected to the city council in 2023 and represented District 5, which stretches from Armenia Ave. to the Tampa Bypass Canal to the east. It includes downtown Tampa, Ybor City and neighborhoods east of I-275 and south of Busch Blvd. Tampa city leader opens 'Black English Bookstore' to honor Black history and culture She was a Tampa native, growing up in the Carver City neighborhood and graduating from Jefferson High School. She holds a degree in education from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and a Master of Education and Education Specialist degree in educational leadership and higher education administration from Saint Leo University. 'Gwen was always talking about her family journey: she talked with adoration about her late mother; her heroic late father who she always proudly said served in the Korean War and raised a family in Carver City; her loving sister; and her daughter who she had so much beaming pride in,' Tampa City Council Member Luis Viera said. Council member Charlie Miranda said she was a strong willed and noble person. 'She had a way of doing things and it wasn't about her way or the highway, but by doing things the right way, without going to the highway,' Miranda said. Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak said Henderson brought a lot to the table. 'I really enjoyed working with her, I loved her spirit and her energy when it came to discussion and debate and I appreciated the way she told it the way it was,' Hurtak said. Hillsborough County NAACP President Yvette Lewis said she is shocked by the loss. 'I was completely shocked… I just sat beside her at Miss Teenage Tampa pageant, and she didn't say anything,' Lewis said. In addition to her work as an educator and city council member, Henderson owned the Black English Bookstore in Tampa Heights. 'Gwen had a passion for Black History – from 1619 to today. If you wanted to see the beauty of Gwen's heart, you should stop by her dream realized – her Black English bookstore,' Viera said. 'That bookstore was about the pride she had in the journey of her family and families like hers. Gwen's life and values were intertwined in the journey of Black Tampenos.' Henderson's death will trigger a special election to fill the city council seat for the remainder of her term, which ends in 2027. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
