BRUCETON MILLS — Approximately 100 people attended the American Flag dedication held at Bruceton Mills Saturday afternoon.
“It started as a request to the town council to put a flag in close to the dam,” Jeannie Walsh, who coordinated the project, said. “It’s (the flag) located between the dam and town hall. It’ll be visible to anyone crossing the bridge into town.”
Walsh said once town council and the Office of Emergency Management approved the dedication, $4,000 was raised to purchase the flag.
“Town residents and businesses like GEC Electric Service and Coby Jenkins, who did the pattern on the base where the flag pole will stand, provided funding and help,” she said. “Robert and Dreama Birkeland provided the PA System and the music for this event. This was a total community project. We had people coming out of the woodwork to help with this project.”
On hand for the dedication was Preston County Honor Guard members from Brandonville, Bruceton Mills, Terra Alta, Tunnelton, Kingwood and Masontown.
“I believe the dedication is awesome,” Honor Guard member Don Walters said. “We participate in memorials and funerals — to participate in the flag dedication is as important as anything else we do.”
Darrell Shaffer, who coordinates events for the Honor Guard, agreed.
“We’re tickled pink to be here to dedicate the flag,” he said. “Our group has done a lot of memorials and funerals since May 30. We participated in the parade last night and the dedication today. Tomorrow we will be doing another memorial.”
Shaffer said since May 30, the Honor guard had participated in approximately 25 memorials and 18 funerals.
Veteran Tim Kelly said he came to the dedication to pay his respects.
Kelly said the Bryon “Bray” Kelley Memorial Bridge that crosses the Big Sandy Creek into Bruceton Mills was dedicated (in 2016) to his uncle, Private First Class Byron “Bray” Kelley, who served in the Army in World War II. Kelley was 19 years old when he was killed in action in Okinawa. He said Kelley was born and raised in Bruceton Mills.
Sen. Randy Smith, who was asked to speak at the dedication, also donated to the project. He said his district is made up of a large number of small communities and he tries to attend as many of the community functions as possible.
“I believe it’s great that the small communities remain patriotic,” he said. “Bruceton Mills is a good example of an American community.”
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