The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE – The Stars and Stripes Celebration held in Clifton Forge Saturday, July 2, was a huge success from the opening 5K Race held at 9:30 a.m. until the great display of fire works at 9:30 p.m.
All the events were well attended and the events were sponsored by the Clifton Forge Main Street, with Jack Backels as chairperson.
The celebration started off with a 5K run and a one mile walk or push with over 50 people participating in both races. Zack Carroll won the 5K Race with 18:38 minutes and the walkers race was won by Gale Totten.
The race was from Ridgeway Street and Commercial Ave., up to C Street, then on to Church Street, to Commercial Ave., at the Post Office and then onto Keswick to Roxbury Street to Hardee’s and back. Branch Associates, furnished the traffic cones for the mile to Hardees to protect the runners.
The next event was the parade that had over 40 units and vehicles in the parade, that went from the Rose Street parking lot up Ridgeway Street to Main Street and then turned on D Street to the Clifton Forge Fire Station.
After the parade the Bag Pipe Band from Roanoke held a short concert on the lawn of town hall.
Another highlight of the day was the reading of the Declaration of Independence by Betsy Ross, portrayed by Johnette Roberts. It was well attended and for many the first time they had heard the Declaration of Independence read since in grade school.
The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson, and read in the Continental Congress, July 4, 1776.
One of the paragraphs that most of us still remember was the second paragraph: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
The Rev. Paul Brokaw, pastor of the Clifton Forge Presbyterian Church, was the soloist for the National Anthem.
The Clifton Forge Veterans of Foreign Wars, post 4299 led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance, with Vice Commander Doody Morris leading the group.
The next part of the program was the evening entertainment at the C&O Heritage Center that began at 5:30 p.m. The band was the Downing Brothers and that performance too was well attended.
Then at 9:30 p.m., was the traditional display of fireworks.
The units in part that appeared in the parade were: the Alleghany County Sheriff Department Color Guard, in the DARE Car was Alleghany County Sheriff Kevin Hall, State Delegate Lacey Putney, Clifton Forge town employees; Clifton Forge VFW Post 4299, Vick’s Restaurant, two floats carrying veterans from World War II and Korean and Vietnam Wars, Model T., John Strott, DARE Car, with Chris Fisher, Antique Cars by Craig Hudson and Ray Keen, motorcycle ridden by David Gilley, Americare, Dixie Gas, Clifton Forge Lions Club, CFHS Alumni Society, with president Jimmie Houff; Red Hat Belles, Jack Mason Tavern, Virginia. Highlands Pipe and Drum, Special Olympics, Parade Banner; William Deisher with Puppies; kids on bikes, Drum and Fife Unit, Historical Flags; Assembly of Horses, with Drums and Fifes, Connie Craft, parade pooper scooper.
Others were: Junior Miss Queen of Heart, Little Miss Queen of Hearts, Tinny Miss Queen of Hearts, Queen for a Cause; Garlynda’s Fancy Feet, Covington Highlighters, Clifton Forge Fire Department, Selma Fire Department, Sharon Fire Department, Iron Gate Fire and Rescue, Glen Wilton Fire and Rescue.
Members of World War II that rode on a float: Ed Dean, Jack Kimberlin, Bob Slusser, Harvey Stinespring, Joe Anderson.
Members from the Korean and Vietnam Wars that rode on a float were: Dan Jones, Bernie Jefferies, Ron Swoope, Richard Dobbs, Joe Walen, Kenneth Keyser and Tom O’Meara.
Most of the members of the Clifton Forge Main Street helped organize the parade and others activities for the Stars and Stripes Celebration.
