MEADOW BRIDGE, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Meadow Bridge High School announced Wednesday that its annual Homecoming event will not be held for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year.
Generally held on the first weekend of August, the event, in the past, has operated through support from the Meadow Bridge Volunteer Fire Department.
However, the fire department has reportedly voted to cease their support of the event, with a letter addressed to the Meadow Bridge Homecoming Committee from Meadow Bridge Fire Department Chief Charles Wade simply stating,
“To whom it may concern,
As of the date of this letter the Meadow Bridge Vol. Fire Dept. will no longer host the Meadow Bridge homecoming festival at our facilities.”
While a statement released from the Meadow Bridge Homecoming Committee does state that the event has been cancelled, it goes on to point out that suggestions will be accepted, presumably for an alternative event venue.
The full statement reads as follows,
“The Meadow Bridge Homecoming Festival typically held on the first weekend of August is being cancelled for the year 2022.
The Meadow Bridge Volunteer Fire Department has voted to discontinue their support of the Homecoming Festival. A letter addressed to the organizing committee states that the fire department will not host the event.
The organizing committee feels the the fire department is the most suitable location for the festival and regrets that it is not available to us.
We apologize to our visitors and guests who have planned vacations and reunions around this annual event.
We are hopeful that our citizens will voice their interest in The Meadow Bridge Homecoming Festival and that the Fire Department will return as a partner with us to keep the festival going for our community.
New developments will be posted on “Meadow Bridge Homecoming” Facebook page. If you have suggestions that you would like to share, please mail them to: Meadow Bridge Homecoming Festival, P.O. Box 430, Meadow Bridge, WV 25976. You may also contact Eula Judy, Patricia Jones, or Randall Patterson.”
The 2022 homecoming festival would have been the first instance of the event since the passing of Chief Barney Wade, who served the Meadow Bridge Fire Department for 65 years, acted as Chief for 54 years, and is said to have been a supporter of the festival since its introduction.
The Meadow Bridge Homecoming Facebook page, along with the homecoming committee’s statement, can be seen here.
