As we celebrate America’s 250th Birthday, I find myself reflecting on just how blessed I am to call Calhoun County, West Virginia home.
Like every family, we don’t always agree. We have different opinions, different ideas, and different perspectives. But those differences are not our weakness—they are part of what makes us stronger. The freedom to speak, to debate, and to work toward a better future together is one of the greatest gifts this nation has ever given us.
I love Calhoun County because of its hardworking people, its beautiful hills, its deep traditions, and the pride our citizens have in this community. I love West Virginia because it is filled with resilient people who have never backed down from a challenge. And I love America because, for 250 years, our nation has stood as a beacon of freedom, opportunity, and hope to the world.
Over the past 250 years, generations of Americans have sacrificed, worked, served, and dreamed to build the nation we enjoy today. Now it is our turn. We have the responsibility to leave our communities stronger than we found them and ensure that the next 250 years are filled with continued progress, opportunity, and unity.
Here in Calhoun County, I truly believe that progress has begun. We are investing in our future, embracing new opportunities through tourism, and proving that even small rural communities can accomplish great things when people come together with a shared purpose.
No matter where we come from or what differences we may have, we are united by something greater—our love for our families, our communities, our state, and our country.
May we never take for granted the freedoms we enjoy or the sacrifices that made them possible.
God bless the men and women who have served and continue to serve our nation. God bless Calhoun County. God bless the great State of West Virginia. And God bless the United States of America.
– Eric J. Lupardus
President, Calhoun County Commission
