The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

May 21, 2008

Rainelle ready to welcome bikers

20th anniversary of Run for the Wall

RAINELLE — In 1988, when West Virginia Turnpike officials refused to allow about 50 motorcyclists to prepay their tolls and ride through the gates all at once — the bikers didn’t want to snarl traffic — they had no idea of the history they were about to make in the town of Rainelle about 50 miles away.

As every Rainelle Elementary school child knows, the bikers, on their way to Washington to pay tribute and raise awareness for POWs and MIAs, eschewed the toll booth naysayers and traveled east on U.S. 60, right into the waiting arms of a loving and grateful community.

Some 20 years later, the happenstance meeting of bikers and children has become the state’s largest Memorial Day weekend event in the L.Z. Rainelle West Virginia Veterans Reunion.

“The general feeling is to have the opportunity to honor our veterans of the past, present and future,” chairperson Monica Venable said Wednesday. “We want to honor all veterans, especially our West Virginia veterans.”

Highlighting the five-day event will be today’s annual ritual of nearly 1,000 motorcycles thundering off Sewell Mountain and into Rainelle. Venable said some of the bikers will stay through the weekend and others will continue their Run For The Wall to Washington.

A reception for the bikers is scheduled for 2 p.m. today at the elementary school where lunch will be served and speeches will be heard afterward on the playing field behind the school. Many of the playgrounds were built by the thousands of dollars in donations that individuals raise as they bike across the country.

“This will be Danny ‘Greaser’ Belcher’s 20th year in a row visiting Rainelle,” Venable said of the crowd favorite.

Once again, the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall will be on display this year at the Rainelle Industrial Park beginning at 9 a.m. today. At the memorial wall from Friday through Sunday will be Monica “Lil Sis” Harvey, who is nationally known for greeting those who come to the wall.

An oldies dance, bike runs, bingo games, a car show and live music, among many other events, are also scheduled. For complete details, visit LZRainelle. com.

— E-mail:

cgiggenbach@register-herald.com

Text Only
Local News
AP Video
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com