John Olesky with Axtons of Clarksburg and Washington Irving High

MHS connections everywhere

You can’t go anywhere without running into Mountaineers, particularly if you’re wearing WV merchandise, as I always do.

Paula and I were walking in the Spanish Springs square in The Villages, Florida when the Axton couple saw the WV.

We found out that they lived in Clarksburg, and knew Roleta Meredith, who runs the Washington Irving alumni newsletter as I do this Monongah High Alumni blog.

Roleta is married to Bill Meredith, Class of 1957. They live in Sarasota, Florida and round up Monongah High alumni for a reunion every winter. Paula and I have been to about a half-dozen of them.

As Paula and I walked some more at the art show on the downtown streets of Spanish Springs, a guy with a Florida State cap stopped me.

He got the cap from his friend, Florida State assistant coach and former WVU coach Rick Trickett. I didn’t get his name, but he’s a Fairmont East grad who plays golf with Danny Manzo at Green Hills. I told him that I ran into Danny and wife Janice tailgating before a Mountaineer Field game with Mayor Greg Vandetta.

Mountaineers are everywhere, and eventually I find a connection of MHS Lions.

Paula and I are staying at her Lady Lake, Florida home till we return to our Tallmadge, Ohio home in April.