KEYSER, W.Va. (WV News) - Community leaders representing a variety of businesses, agencies and governmental bodies from Mineral County will once again be traveling to the Capitol next week for Mineral County Day 2025.
Co-sponsored by the Mineral County Chamber of Commerce and Development Authority, Mineral County Day not only provides community leaders a chance to meet with legislators, cabinet secretaries and department heads from key offices in the state, but it also provides the opportunity for those leaders to show the state what Mineral County has to offer.
Since its beginning over 20 years ago, Mineral County Day has been held on the opening day of the legislative session. Most years, that is in January, but during those years when the state swears in a new governor, the session (and Mineral County Day) is pushed back to February.
“Mineral County Day” is actually a misnomer; the celebration has been stretched over two days for many years.
In fact, some of the Mineral County Day organizers will be heading to Charleston on Tuesday, Feb. 11, and will remain until the last displays are removed after the events on Thursday.
Wednesday’s agenda is filled with various meetings, including those with representatives of the Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation (Division of Highways), Department of Health and Human Resources, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Education.
That evening, newly-elected Gov. Patrick Morrisey will deliver his first State of the State address, and Mineral Countians will gather in the common area of the Embassy Suites to watch together.
The speech is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
Thursday’s events will start bright and early, as those with displays featuring their businesses will set up their tables at 8 a.m. in the hallway outside the chambers.
Among those planning to set up displays are:
Burlington United Methodist Family Services
Mineral County Chamber of Commerce
Clearway Energy
Mineral County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Mineral County Commissioners
Mineral County Emergency Services
Mineral County Print Shop
Mineral County Development Authority
Mineral County Parks and Recreation
WVU Medicine Potomac Valley Hospital
UPMC Western Maryland
West Virginia Peach Festival
WVU Potomac State College
Youth With a Mission
As has become tradition for Mineral County Day, two representatives will open the day’s legislative sessions with prayer - Commissioner Charles “Dutch” Staggs for the House and Pastor Nate Nickerson for the Senate.
Following the prayers, both the Senate and House will honor Mineral County 2025 honoree Frances Jones with a citation.
Nickerson, who created the new Mineral County seal, will also be recognized.
Sessions usually begin around 11 a.m., and legislators will be invited to take a break for lunch hosted by Mineral County. Students from the Mineral County Technical Center, under the direction of principal Loretta Lawson and counselor Lindsey Kane, will be in charge of setting up lunch.
Mineral County’s Teal Steel will be returning to Charleston to provide music in the rotunda that afternoon, following adjournment of the Senate and House.
In addition, wooden coasters with the new Mineral County seal, created by Frankfort High School Project Lead the Way students, will be presented to the legislators.
Two last meetings - with the Department of Tourism and Department of Natural Resources - will close out Mineral County Day.
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