Morgan County’s longest-running public Memorial Day event will take place this Saturday, May 28 in Paw Paw, and includes a car show, wreath-laying, veterans memorial service and parade.
The 15th annual Car & Tractor Show at Paw Paw Schools will kick off the Memorial Day festivities at 9 a.m. Vendors and food will be available there and at the Morgan County 7 EMS building on Winchester Street.
At 10 a.m., the Harley Bohrer Wreath Laying will take place at Woodrow Church cemetery at 3336 Paw Paw Road.
A Memorial Service for fallen veterans will be held at 11 a.m. at the town’s Veterans Monument at 63 Winchester Street.
Parade entries will line up at 583 Winchester Street starting at 12 noon.
The parade will begin at 1 p.m., and will travel along Winchester Street, Henry Miller Boulevard and Moser Avenue.
An award ceremony for the winners of the Car & Tractor Show will be held right after the parade at Paw Paw Schools.
Memorial Day event organizers have announced that Michael P. McCready will serve as the parade’s Grand Marshal this year, and Miah Elizabeth Smith has been crowned Miss Paw Paw 2022.
Grand Marshal McCready
Michael P. McCready will serve as this year’s Grand Marshal. McCready was born and raised in Altoona, Pa.
Michael McCready, Grand Marshal of the 62nd Annual William H. Norton Memorial Day parade.
He joined the United States Army in 1976 where he served as an Aircraft Structural Repairer. He served with Task Force 118 for three years, did three tours in Korea, and 18 months in the Persian Gulf. McCready retired from the United States Army after 20 years of service. He moved to Paw Paw in 2000.
McCready has volunteered at Paw Paw Elementary School for 14 years. He was instrumental in bringing a 4-H program to Paw Paw and was involved in 4-H for 12 years. For four of those years, he was the shooting instructor for Morgan County 4-H. McCready was also the Boy Scout Master for 12 years in Berkeley Springs and during that time, brought the Boy Scouts program to Paw Paw. He is a current member of the Paw Paw Volunteer Fire Department and has volunteered with them for nine years. The Paw Paw American Legion Post #128 voted McCready in as their Post Commander in 2021 and he is now serving a second term.
Miss Paw Paw
Event organizers each year seek out a young woman in Paw Paw to crown as Miss Paw Paw. This year, Miah Elizabeth Smith was chosen to serve in the role. Smith is in the 10th grade and attends Paw Paw High School. Her parents are Jaimie and Loyd Smith, and younger brother is William Smith. In school Miah Smith is part of the student council group, National Honor Society, and has a 4.0 GPA throughout high school. She participates in different sports such as volleyball, cheer, and track and field. In her free time, she likes to read, paint, and spend time with family and friends.
Grace Deschenes was chosen as Runner-up for Miss Paw Paw, and can fulfill the duties of that role in Smith’s place, if needed.
Miss Paw Paw Miah Smith, and runner up Grace Deschenes.