Rick Cross served 12 years in the United States Air Force, where he was promoted to Staff Sergeant. A member of the American Legion Post 25 and the present Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3408, Rick also has time to volunteer with he Doddridge Fire Department Emergency Squad..

A native of West Union, WV, his parents were the late Norman B. Cross and Wilda C. Cross of West Union. Rick was married and has one daughter, Lisa (married to Michael) who lives, in Middlebourne, WV; his 4 grandsons are Mack, Dylan, Skylar, Riley, and Parker.

He currently works for Pro Careers, Inc. as a nursing assistant, and for ShopnSave Express in West Union.

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Mayor Charles Langfitt
Mayor of the Town of West Union

Mayor Charles B. Langfitt is a West Virginia native; born in Charleston, WV to Bruce Benton Langfitt and Helen Bohnard Langfitt, he was raised in Salem, WV; graduated form Salem High School and Salem College.

After 23 years in the Army, Charlie retired with the rank of Captain in 1953. West Union saw him as a store manager for ABC Comm.; he went on to the Department of of Transportation, where he retired after 21 years.

Married December 23, 1955 to Betty Jane Smith, Charlie just recently lost his wife of 51 years.

He belongs to the Doddridge County Lions Club, the Doddridge County Emergency Squad, the West Union Volunteer Fire Department, and the American Legion Post #25 in West Union.

The proud father of Lee Ann Riley has five grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Charlie has served on the West Union City Council (elected 2000, re-elected 2002) and as Mayor of the Town of West Union (appointed to fill unexpired term 2003, elected 2005).

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Steve Myers, Grand Noble Recorder
Yerba Buena Lodge #1
E Clampus Vitus

E Clampus Vitus was founded by a West Union resident, Ephraim Bee, in 1845. ECV has grown in the West to about 150,000 members.

Grand Noble Recorder, Steve Myers, has left his beloved California to visit West Union, WV on 4 different occasions since 2001, and has brought other members back on a sort of "pilgrimage" in honor of Ephraim Bee.

Steve has been instrumental in having 2 plaques made for Ephraim Bee; they were dedicated in 2003 and 2005. The latter will be installed on the Rail Trail as it passes through West Union and rededicated on July 22, 2006 during our celebration for the 125th Anniversary of the Town of West Union.

The E Clampus Vitus Society has graciously scheduled the dedication of the monument to Ephraim Bee to coincide with the Town of West Union's 125th Anniversary Celebration. Steve Myers will be one of the dignitaries speaking at the dedication of this monument, which is scheduled for 7:30 PM on the North Bend Rail Trail as it crosses through The Town of West Union.

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Congressman Nick Rahall
Third Congressional District of West Virginia

Congressman Nick Rahall, of the Third Congressional District of West Virginia, is currently serving his 15th term in the United States House of Representatives.

Congressman Nick Rahall has helped form national policies relating to transportation, infrastructure, energy, and the environment. Rahall is the Ranking Democratic Member on the Committee on Resources, and the second senior Democrat on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Rahall was a key architect in the formulation of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (known as TEA 21), which established the Rahall Transportation Institute (RTI), a consortium of five Southern West Virginia colleges, housed at Marshall University. RTI’s stated mission is “Building Jobs through Transportation” for West Virginia.

Rahall is responsible for many U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control and related projects in WV, and is a tireless fighter for the Appalachian Regional Commission, black lung benefits, veteran’s benefits, and mine health and safety issues. He is dedicated to promoting high technology development in WV as well as being the author of the 1978 legislation, which established the New River Gorge National River as a unit of the National Park System in southern West Virginia. Ten years later he gained enactment of legislation to designate the Gauley River National Recreation Area and the Bluestone National Scenic River, in the process creating the largest network of federally protected rivers in the eastern United States. Rahall legislation also established the National Coal Heritage Area in 11 southern West Virginia counties.

A 33rd degree Mason, the Congressman is a life member of the National Rifle Association, Elks, Moose, and the NAACP, and was made an honorary member of the United Mine Workers of America in 2003.. Before his election to the Congress, Rahall served as a staff assistant to U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, and as a businessman. Congressman Rahall has three children: Rebecca, Nick Joe, III and Suzanne Nicole. Congressman Rahall is married to the former Melinda Ross of Ashland, Kentucky.

Congressman Rahall is honoring the Town of West Union by presiding over the cutting of the Town's birthday cake at 3:00 PM at the Stuart Mansion. The cake will serve 2,000, and all are welcome.

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Gregg Smith
X-Grand Noble, (but Humble), Humbug of the Ancient and Honorable Fraternal Order of E Clampsus Vitus

This Local farmer, was an associate producer/director at KTEH (Channel 54), KSAR (Channel 8), KCAT (Channel 6).

Gregg has worn quite a few hats during his career in the media including some movie & television acting . From helmsman / radio operator & SCUBA diver aboard the Research Ship, Sea Shepherd, to Research and Development of radio electronic engineering.

A Doddridge Countian, Gregg is a member of the Doddridge Research Group, a founding member of DCARS (Doddridge County Amateur Radio Society), and is Founder/President of the Tri-County Beekeeper Association.

Gregg is forming a historical re-enactment group called the Doddridge County Militia.

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Blair Taylor
District Administrator in charge of West Virginia State Park Resorts and Parks with Lodges

Blair Taylor has been the District Administrator in charge of West Virginia State Park Resorts and Parks with Lodges since 1999. (Parks include: Pipestem, Twin Falls, Hawks Nest, Stonewall Jackson, Tygart Lake, North Bend, Blackwater Falls, Canaan Valley Resort and Cacapon State Park)

He has over 30 years of resort experience in West Virginia and Ohio, including managing the Silver Creek Resort for 3 years, and the Canaan Valley Resort for 8 years.

A veteran (USMC), Blair is married to the former Karen Carper; they have two Children and two Grandchildren.

Blair is a Graduate of Concord College, Athens, WV, and resides in Elkins, WV.

He was instrumental in arranging this dedication of The Ephraim Bee Monument created by E Clampus Vitus for the Town of West Union which is placed at the site of Ephraim Bee’s “Beehive Tavern.”

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Councilwoman Nancy Travis

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Dottie M. Underwoood
Region 2 Representative, Office of Governor Joe Manchin III, West Virginia's 34th Governor

A Doddridge County native, Dottie is the daughter of Doddridge County residents Mike and Barb Underwood. She is a graduate of Doddridge County High School, and a graduate of West Virginia University.

Dot has been working for Governor Manchin since May of 2005. She represents the Governor in 9 counties (Braxton, Calhoun, Clay, Doddridge, Gilmer, Lewis, Ritchie, Roane, and Wirt Counties)

As the Governor is to be recovering from knee surgery at the time of our Festival, we are delighted that he has chosen Doddridge County’s Ms Underwood as his representative.

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Clyde Ware
Author

A native of West Union, West Virginia, Clyde Ware has been awarded the WV International Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award (2002). His distinguished career in motion pictures and television includes direction and production as well as screenwriting.

His work is so synonymous with Americana, many trivia games and crossword puzzles use it as reference. Some of his credits are:
The Innocents; Episodes for Gunsmoke, The Hitchcock Hour, Bonanza
1975, THE HATFIELDS AND MCCOYS, ABC-TV
DIRECTED BY: Clyde Ware
CAST: Jack Palance, Steve Forrest, Richard Hatch, James Keach, Robert Carradine, Joe Estevez
(southern West Virginia)

The writer of countless screenplays and TV scripts since moving to California, Clyde's earlier work included two critically acclaimed novels, The Innocents (1969) and The Eden Tree (1971). He is a script writer for television and movies and the founder of a film production company.

West Virginia has not forgotten Clyde Ware, and Clyde Ware has not forgotten his homeland. Two of Ware's films were shot on location in north central West Virginia, Doddridge County:

1972: "No Drums, No Bugles" Cinerama Releasing
DIRECTED BY: Clyde Ware
CAST: Martin Sheen, Davey Davison, Elaine Giftos
The film is based on the West Virginia legend of a conscientious objector during the Civil War who spent three years in a cave rather than fight.

and, 1973: "Where the Line Goes Through" All Seasons Video
DIRECTED BY: Clyde Ware
CAST: Martin Sheen, Tillie Allen, Dick Barton, Vicki Carroll, Davey Davison

Another film on the Coal Mining Industry "Rough Diamonds", is scheduled for production this Fall in West Virginia. A love story with a background of coal mining. that Clyde expects will put his beloved Doddridge County and West Union on the international map.

Mr. Ware will be honored at the Festival celebrating the 125th Anniversary of the Town of West Union - his home town.

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Rex Zickefoose

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