John Long, the Education Director at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, will be the guest speaker for the 11th Annual Founders Day Dinner of the Botetourt County Historical Society Inc. The dinner will be held on Friday, Nov.17, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Family Life Center of the Fincastle United Methodist Church, 137 South Church Street in Fincastle. The cost for tickets is $30 and tickets are now on sale at the Botetourt County Historical Museum behind the courthouse in Fincastle, at Digital Image Printing at 1615 Roanoke Road in Daleville, from any historical society board member or by mail. The annual dinner is a celebration and a fundraiser for the historical society, and is open to members and the general public. Everyone is invited to purchase a ticket.
Long, will be speaking on “How Botetourt County Won Our Independence.” He will talk about the contributions of Botetourt County patriots, such as William Fleming, Andrew Lewis and William Preston and their contributions to the struggles that led up to the American Revolution, including the Battle of Point Pleasant.
Long is a graduate of Roanoke College and The University of Virginia. He has taught history at Roanoke College, Radford University and Virginia Western Community College, and previously served as the Executive Director of the Salem Historical Society in Salem, where he supervised the operation of the Salem Museum. He has written and given talks on both World Wars and a variety of aspects of local history for southwestern Virginia. He and his wife Candy live in Salem and have five children and one grandson.
A buffet dinner will be provided and the historical society will announce the recipients of its Emily Gordon Honts Heritage Award and Garland Stevens Award for Volunteer Service.
Anyone who is interested in local history and would like to support the historical society is encouraged to attend. Proceeds from the dinner will be used to support the operation of the Botetourt County Historical Museum and other projects of the society. The most recent project of the historical society is the publication of The Fincastle Herald Editor Ed McCoy’s book, “Botetourt County & the War Between the States.” Signed copies will be available for purchase at the dinner for $30 each.
Additional information regarding the purchase of tickets can be obtained by calling the Botetourt County Historical Museum at 473-8394. Tickets can be ordered by mail up until November 11 at Botetourt County Historical Society, Inc., P.O. Box 468, Fincastle, 24090. Make checks out to BCHS and mark “Founders Day Tickets” on the memo line.
