Dear Editor:
My name is Donnie Kopp, and I live and work in Clarksburg. I am the Circuit Clerk here in Harrison County and I am an avid bicyclist.
I have a trailer over in Pendleton County and on Friday July 10, I had planned a trip from around Franklin to Watoga State Park. I was traveling to Watoga to spend the night with my sister and brother-in-law who rent a cabin each year for their vacation. They live in Florence, South Carolina.
My planned route was to ride down to Monterey, Virginia, and get on Route 84 and cross the Allegheny and drop down into Frost. The day started out bright and sunny, but by the time I made it to Frost it started raining. I stopped at the Frost Methodist Church and took shelter under the picnic pavilion that they have there.
Eventually the rain let up, and I started riding again. Not long after, it really started raining. I was on Route 92, and I think it’s known as Frost Road.
After a few more miles in a downpour, I pulled over and tried to stay dry under a big tree. I had put on my bright yellow raincoat, and I was just standing under the tree. After about 10 minutes a car pulled up and the window came down. The car had two young guys that looked to be in their twenties. The guy stuck his arm out the window, asked my name, introduced himself as Sam, and introduced his brother, Billy.
Sam asked me how I would like to go and sit on a nice dry porch until the rain stopped. I replied that I would love to sit on a nice dry porch.
To make a long story short, I put my bike behind that tree and got in their car and Sam drove up the road a ways, across a bridge and to an old farmhouse in a field. They, along with Sam’s wife, Lisa, were working to renovate this old farmhouse. They were working and happened to look out and see me, and they decided to come to my rescue.
I wasn’t smart enough to get their last names, but I will always remember their first names. The brothers are Sam and Billy, and Sam’s wife’s name is Lisa. Sam and Lisa just got married about a month ago. Sam works somewhere in the county and Lisa is an elementary school teacher. Billy is a student in a foreign country.
I just wanted to thank them for their kindness to help out a total stranger.
That, and many other things that happen in West Virginia each and every day is why I feel that we live in the greatest state in the nation.
Donnie Kopp
Clarksburg
Dear Editor:
Although one never wishes to have cause for the need of a hospital, we recently had such a need during our visit to Cass.
Not wanting to miss Cass Days, the visits and seeing the folks she misses that accompanies such a visit, my mother, Gaye Shields, a native of Cass, decided to make the trip back home; this, even though she had experienced some physical issues that caused her to be hospitalized only two days prior to the trip. Her plane trip was not a pleasant one, and she continued to have physical problems during the first part of her stay in West Virginia. It was at this point that we decided to seek help at the Pocahontas Memorial Hospital.
And we are glad that we did.
On June 30, Dr. Terry, the emergency room doctor, and his entire attending staff provided caring, efficient and medically conclusive treatment.
My mother was diagnosed with an infection that had caused swelling that completely blocked her Eustachian tubes. Dr Terry prescribed a course of medication that relieved all of her symptoms and resulted in a comfortable flight back to Florida.
It was comforting to know, that when competent medical personnel are needed, one can rely on the staff and doctors at Pocahontas Memorial Hospital.
We are very thankful and offer our sincere thanks.
Priscilla Waldman
Seven Valleys,
Pennsylvania
Dear Editor:
A few years ago I wrote a letter to the editor of The Pocahontas Times stating my feelings about the Friday and Saturday evening “Get Together” held at the American Legion Hall during the Pioneer Days celebration.
I stated then that I thought it was the “greatest thing that ever happened in Marlinton during the Pioneer Days celebration.”
In the letter I thanked “Tootles,” JoAnn, Deenie, Keith and their helpers for all the work they did to help all of us have a wonderful time during our visits. I still feel that way and am very sorry it had to end.
We truly understand the reasons and want to once again thank them for providing this facility, purchasing the snacks and drinks, and for doing the cleanup, etc.
I hope every person who has ever attended a Friday or Saturday evening “Get Together” at the American Legion Hall in Marlinton, during Pioneer Days, has a chance to read this letter and will take a few minutes of their busy day to send a card of thanks to “Tootles,” Jo Ann, Deenie, Keith and their helpers. I do not have their addresses and full names, but if you put their names on each card, and send it c/o The Pocahontas Times, 206 Eighth Street, Marlinton, WV 24954, I have been assured that the cards will be delivered to them; and they will know how much we all appreciate them and what they did for us for so many years.
You can imagine how Ginnie and I felt when we read the sign on the door of the American Legion Hall stating that “Tootles,” Jo Ann, Deenie and Keith would not be able to host the “Get Together.” Our hearts were broken. We had been discussing the evening, and all of our friends we would probably see there as we drove to Marlinton from Lancaster, Ohio.
Later that evening we were able to talk to several friends on the streets with the help of Bill and Carolyn Davis, who identified some we did not recognize.
We had a great time, but we sure missed the “Get Together.”
Martin and Ginnie Bell
Lancaster, Ohio