Carole Wade Newport Beach Orange County, California

Five Past Generations That Made West Virginia Great. Carole Wade - 2007 Outstanding Alumna, Fairmont State University

In the early days long before I was born in Fairmont, West Virginia my family -- who immigrated to West Virginia from Ireland -- over five generations ago spent every day with their livestock, farming, and working their Stone Quarry.

My grandfather spent hours and hours telling my cousin and me about Abraham Lincoln declaring West Virginia a State on April 20th, 1863. His dad's oral history always included their humble immigrant past: They were from Ireland and West Virginia's hills reminded them of their homeland. Grandpa's family continued to purchase land after West Virginia became a State. Grandpa said it was because of political reasons. The family sold most of its farmland in Virginia around 1900. During the Great Depression of the 1930's Grandpa recalled his family feeding out-of-work families from their little gardens. Subsequently, my family's land was sold to Beatrice Foods in 1972.

My memories begin at the Fairmont General Hospital where I was born. Mom has always told me that my baby bassinet over looked Fairmont State. As I recall my youth, my memories meander through my childhood on the same farm earth my family from Ireland found so many years ago.

A big highlight of my Grandparent's life was watching my 4-H Club win the West Virginia Statewide 4-H Championship dancing contest. My fellow club members and me danced perfectly to the "grand trail eight" and "do-si-do" barn dance calls in homemade period outfits. My Mother sewed my skirt on a sewing machine from G. C. Murphy Co.

My 4-H Club members considered ourselves to be just like the "West Virginia Mountaineers" folk dancers that came before us. And just like them we danced The Virginia Reel. That 4-H Championship was an important moment in her life. Senator Robert Bryd, in his first years as West Virginia's Senator, gave out the Awards.

My 4-H memories were followed by my memories at Fairmont State College (now, University), where I the Vice President of my sorority -- Sigma Kappa. (www.sigmakappa.org)

West Virginia's public educational schools prepared me for my life's interest, which includes my interest in modern art. In my early twenty's after leaving my beautiful farm to move to Washington, D. C. and New York City, I she was invited onto the Junior Board of Governors of the prestigious Guggenheim Museum of Art. (www.guggenheim.org) Soon after I met my husband we relocated to Chicago, Illinois. Another journey began after we moved to Beijing, China and lived in the Chinese Palace for the Minorities from 1979 through 1980. (www.chinamuseums.com) I fell in love with China's beauty and took up photography ... my images of China's modernization were later exhibited by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization at UNIDO headquarters in Vienna. (www.unido.org)

My growing up in West Virginia prepared me again for when I returned back to Chicago, I began volunteering for several charities. My 4-H dancing prepared me to become a Founding Board Member of the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. (www.hubbardstreetdance.com)

After moving to the Los Angeles area in 1985 with my husband, I continued my community volunteerism along with her interests in foreign travel and politics. Back in 1990 the "Times-West Virginian" interviewed me following my presentation to His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, which resulted from her work at the Shakespeare Globe Centre in London. (www.timeswv.com)

Today, I continue to volunteer. I have co-chaired several California State Assembly political campaigns. Both in 2004 and 2008 I represented California as a Delegate to the Republican National Conventions.

My biggest achievement came to me in 2007 when I received the "Outstanding Alumna" Award at Fairmont State University. (www.fairmontstate.edu)

My nephew - tomorrow's generation - wrote the following poem "Rivers Floating" at age seven. He too grew up in the same area in West Virginia that our Irish family pioneered so many years ago. Presently, he is a proud member of the United States Air Force.

Down by the river on a Sunday night, I set out for a long day ride. With the river floating in the sky on our long walk. Before noon and before morning we were still asleep. Whenever it was time to get up, it was early spring. With trees a growing everywhere, plants in our yard and clouds in the sky. But when the black bear woke up like us, he growled, when it was spring.

Carole Wade resides in Orange County, California.