With the annual convention of the Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education and the WV Access Center for Higher Education headquartered at the Greenbrier Valley Campus of New River Community and Technical College, the 180 plus who attended the three day event heard from Anne Pope, the federal co chairman of the Appalachian Regional Commission; Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the first female Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, and visited with three of the "Rocket Boys" from McDowell County.

Under the leadership of Sarita Gattuso of Bluefield State College and the WVACHE and Wayne White of OACHE, Pope spoke during the Friday luncheon at Old Stone Presbyterian Church before the afternoon session which opened in Carnegie Hall with a performance by members of the Nicholas County High School Show Choir.

Friday evening at the Lewisburg Elks Lodge Country Club, Kennedy Townsend addressed the group. The book signing by Billy Rose, Quentin Wilson and Roy Lee Cooke, three of the five surviving Rocket Boys was held later that evening at the Brier Inn.

This is the second time the two groups have joined to have their annual conference on the GVCNRCTC.

October 8, 2003

Submitted by Mike Williams