By Liz Beavers
[email protected]
Tribune Managing Editor
KEYSER, W.Va. – In a little publicized feature of Mineral County Day, representatives of the county had the honor Wednesday of officially kicking off both the West Virginia Senate and House of Representatives with a prayer.
Keyser City Council member and president of the Mineral County Development Authority Terry Liller offered prayer in the Senate Chamber, and Patsy Koontz, community outreach liaison for the Western Maryland Health System and chairperson of Mineral County Day, offered prayer before the House of Delegates.
In addition, both the Senate and House issued a citation honoring Mineral County’s 2017 Mineral County Day honoree, the late Gary Wilson.
The retired CEO of Burlington United Methodist Family Services, Wilson was instrumental in many initiatives which served children and families in Mineral County and the surrounding area.
Members of his family, including wife Carol, were present in Charleston to accept the honors on his behalf.
Mineral County Day had gotten off to a delicious start earlier in the day with the traditional buffet breakfast set up just outside the Senate Chamber.
According to Koontz, almost 170 attended the breakfast, including legislators, department heads, Mineral County Day participants, and more.
Nine displays were also set up in the breakfast area for the legislators to learn more about Mineral County. Among those setting up were: Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College, Potomac State College of WVU, Western Maryland Health System, the Greater Cumberland Committee/North-South Corridor, Automated Packaging, Orbital ATK, the Mineral County Chamber of Commerce, Burlington United Methodist Family Services and the Town of Piedmont.
Mineral County was also able to showcase her young people with the winners of the Keyser Middle School Lemonade Stand project set up on the second floor of the Capitol to sell their lemonade, cheesecake bites and cake pops to raise funds for ALS.
The students were visited by several legislators, along with West Virginia superintendent of schools Michael Martirano and others.
