The Shadow
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (VR) – At a meeting of the Virginia State Bar (VSB) at Virginia Beach on June 6, 2026, the Alleghany-Bath Highland Bar Association (A,B,H Bar) was presented an “Award of Merit” for it’s 2025 and 2026 “So You’re 18” programs presented to high school seniors at Alleghany Highland Public School. The most recent program was presented on May 11, 2026.
Although over the years the A, B, H Bar has presented several “So You’re 18” programs to high schools, the last two have focused mainly on the “Drug Crisis” sweeping western and southwestern Virginia, especially with regard to the drug “Fentanyl,” which can kill a user instantly. According to attorney, Bill Wilson, the idea came from a recent book entitled “Dopesick,” written by Beth Macy of Roanoke, Virginia.
In the presentation of the award, attorney Nicholas J. Gehrig, Chair of the Local and Specialty Bar Section (LSBS), said the following:
“Dear Mr. Wilson:
On behalf of the Local and Specialty Bar Section of the Virginia State Bar, please accept our sincere congratulations to the Alleghany-Bath Highland Bar Association on receiving an Award of Merit, presented at the Virginia State Bar Annual Meeting on June 5, 2026.
This recognition is well deserved. Your Association’s continued commitment to presenting the So You’re 18 programs in 2024 and 2025 reflects meaningful service to students and to the broader community. In particular, the addition of a drug crisis component to the program represents an important and timely contribution to public education.”
As described in the nomination, the 2024 program included a featured speaker who spoke to students about losing his young son to a fentanyl overdose. The impact of that presentation was, I’m sure, powerful and deeply felt. The Association continued that work in 2025 by again including the drug crisis component, emphasizing the dangers of fentanyl and the serious consequences of illegal drug use. This addition strengthened the So You’re 18 program by addressing issues that are urgent, practical, and directly relevant to young people.
The Award of Merit recognizes not only the quality of the program, but also the leadership, initiative, and public-service spirit demonstrated by the Alleghany-Bath Highland Bar Association. Your members have shown how lawyers can serve as educators, community partners, and advocates for the rule of law in ways that make a real difference.
Please extend my congratulations and appreciation to your officers, members, and all who contributed to this effort. The LSBS is proud to recognize the Alleghany-Bath Highland Bar Association for this achievement and for its continued service to the profession, students, and the public.”
As he received the Award of Merit ABH Bar President, Taylor M. Baker, said: “On behalf of the Alleghany-Bath-Highland, I am honored to receive this award. We believe that the “So You’re 18” program is an invaluable opportunity to help prepare our local students for adulthood and provide first-hand experience of the dangers of the ongoing opioid epidemic.”
The panel which presented the program to the students on May 11, 2026, consisted of Taylor Baker; Bill Wilson; Ingrid Barber, Executive Director of Alleghany Highlands Community Services; AHS Assistant Principal Jennifer Raether; Alleghany County Sheriff Kyle Moore; Alleghany County Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Shaun Mabry; Bath County Commonwealth’s Attorney Charles Moore; and April Miller, AHCS prevention coordinator.
The overall idea of the program was to help students prepare for entering the adult world after graduating from high school.
