Sweet Springs Resort provides update

SWEET SPRINGS, W.Va. (Hinton News) - Exciting developments are underway at Sweet Springs Resort Park this September. Firstly, construction has begun on an extension to one of the structures. Secondly, Roseanna Sacco, Ashby Berkley, and Arietta DuPre will attend the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Allegheny Trail. The park will also host an informational booth about the Historic Sweet Springs Turnpike Trail.

This trail, commissioned in 1830 by the Virginia General Assembly, was created to offer a safer and quicker route to "Old Sweet," now known as Sweet Springs Park. It served a similar purpose as I-64 and Old Route 60, which provided a direct stagecoach trail from Washington DC to "Old Sweet" for Presidents, international visitors and affluent individuals. Many trail groups from all over attend this event, so the Turnpike Trail will be nationally known.

Just from sign-ups, several people have already visited the park and Turnpike Trail, and many have said they are coming after the event.

On Sept. 21, the Annual MIA/POW and Veterans Honors Day will take place at the park. Games for adults and children will start at 8 a.m. A Poker Run will begin at 11 a.m. with the last vehicle/motorcycle out at 11:45 a.m. Bring a chair, a cake (for the judging) and any legal beverages (must have a solid cup to drink out of).

Ribbons will be given to game winners and the top three cakes. Rustic camping is available for Friday and Saturday nights.

Drive or own an antique or muscle car? Bring it to the event and receive free tickets for the Annual House of Horrors in October. Antique cars dated before 1945 are welcome to join in the Poker Run.

There will be food, arts, crafts and other vendors. Interested in setting up and selling your products? Contact sweetspringsassistant@ gmail.com .

Consider helping with this event to help the veterans. Park officials ask all businesses, political leaders and individuals to donate items for: Door Prizes throughout the day (they give several of these - 25 to 30 or more), flags (United States), flags (small sets of all military flags), auction items for the auction to benefit veterans, patriotic hats and shirts, MIA/POW flags, yard flags, home decorations, license plates, gift cards, etc.

All donations have the donor's name on the item to show their support for the veterans and their families.

According to park officials, in the past, numerous political leaders at both state and federal levels have been solicited for donations to this event, with minimal responses. Given that it is an election year, many of the veterans, families, and the general populace have reportedly requested the publication of the names of leadership individuals from whom donations are sought and those who contribute, following the event.

The public's assistance is also needed regarding the request that the West Virginia Department of Agriculture donate the Andrew S. Rowan Memorial Farm to The Sweet Springs Resort Park Foundation. The Park owns the 33 acres where all the historic buildings reside, the farm is for outdoor recreational use like The Historic Sweet Springs Turnpike Trail.

Park official, Arietta DuPre, provided the following statement: "The Park has close to or more than 12,000 petition signers stating they want the farm donated to the Park, but nothing has been said by WVDA nor has the people received any kind of response. Call any and all West Virginia Delegate and Senate Leaders in the next week and tell them: 'Sponsor a bill to have the Andrew S. Rowan Memorial Farm donated to The Sweet Springs Resort Park Foundation Inc. a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit charitable organization for use as a platform for several outdoor recreation venues, decrease in drug addiction/use in our rural area, activities for those with handicaps, and more.' Call even if you have signed the petition. If the park loses the farmland, the Historic Sweet Springs Turnpike Trail will close. How will that look to the Department of Interior considering they named this trail a National Recreational Trail in June 2024? How many West Virginia trails will be awarded this incredible honor if the Turnpike Trail closes within three to four months of receiving it? With Mountain biking and hiking, youth will have good solid outdoor activities to keep them busy instead of drugs, but not if the trail and other planned outdoor activities are gone. Would you rather your children have something healthy, constructive and fun to do or would you rather them become addicted to drugs? Young adults are leaving West Virginia (my son did) because there are no good careers here; there are jobs but not careers, and with the use of the farm for education, the park plans to have career training here at the facility so the younger people will stay here. Wouldn't you rather your child stay close to home or leave and you rarely get to see them?"

DuPre also said, "There are several other positive reasons for the donation of the farm to the park, but not one negative reason; and no positive reasons for WVDA taking the farm have ever been shown, talked about or proven."

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