Rainelle home and business owners now have the chance to compete for bragging rights and gifts if they win the Rainelle Volunteer Fire Department’s first American Spirit Fourth of July Decorating Contest.
According to event organizer and firefighter, Michael McGuire, the department wanted to give local home and business owners the opportunity to showcase their patriotism and make Rainelle look nice for the Fourth of July.
McGuire explained that the idea for a decorating contest came from reading about John Raine, the town’s founder. Raine enjoyed the Fourth of July and held large celebrations dedicated to the holiday. The former East Rainelle Fire Department would even have a fireworks display. Although those events no longer take place, McGuire said his ultimate goal is to bring some of them back to life, just on a smaller scale.
The decorating contest will be the first attempt at reviving the tradition, and it will continue a spirit of patriotism following Memorial Day, and the flag display that former Mayor Andrea Pendleton organized, McGuire added.
He said that he would like to see those in Rainelle decorate the town for the Fourth, just like they do in another Greenbrier County town.
“I would like to see it similar to Alderson’s,” McGuire stated. “They go all out over there. The town looks good.”
There are no contest rules, except creating patriotic displays, and everyone in the town of Rainelle, Lilly Park and the Osborne Addition can participate.
One business owner and one homeowner will be announced as contest winners. They will receive a $25 gift card for Ace Hardware, a $10 gift card to the West End Coffee Shop and a trophy.
Members of the fire department will begin judging at 6 p.m. on July 4, McGuire said. No registration is required.
As for decorating ideas, McGuire noted that “the more red, white and blue you have the better.”
“It’s always been a patriotic town,” McGuire said of Rainelle. “So our goal is just trying to get that back.”
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