Tara Chambers Barbera watches as her young grandchildren, Mackenzie and Max, each place a white rose on the ledge of the Memorial Fountain in Marshall University’s Student Center Plaza. Her two sons, Mike and Joe, stand close by and follow them back to their seats. Mackenzie climbs onto Tara’s lap and listens respectfully as more names are called. More flowers laid. It’s a brief moment in time that happens every year. But it’s a gesture, a tradition, that touches her heart in a way that few other moments can. It encapsules her love of her precious family – from generations gone to generations new – and her love of the Marshall family, which has never left her side.
Especially when she’s needed that family the most.
“I bleed green. I go to all the home football games and soccer games and as many basketball games as I can. … Marshall is a special place.” - Tara Chambers Barbera Tara doesn’t remember much about the night that her parents died. She was 14. Her grandmother was staying over because her parents had gone to the Marshall football game in North Carolina.
She had a friend over. They were watching a gameshow on television when some news about a plane crash started scrolling across the TV. It didn’t register. … Read More
It’s Veterans Day in Huntington.
In the late morning, a crowd begins to form at the Memorial Arch on the west end of the city to commemorate the day. A larger-than-life American flag hangs from the center, waving in the warm, early November breeze. As a band plays the Armed Forces Medley, an elderly man with silver hair salutes the flag from his folding chair.
“I feel like most of the time, a lot of people just by my appearance don’t assume I’m a veteran. It’s because they’re strangers, I’m a stranger, they don’t know who I am. They don’t know that, at one point, I did sacrifice my freedom for their freedom and I don’t think people quite understand the severity of that and how serious it is.” - Tyriek Bell Boy Scout troops are at Spring Hill Cemetery, placing their final flags on the graves of those who served – veterans who are gone from this life, but not forgotten. Some of those being remembered gave the ultimate sacrifice. Others lived out long lives after their time at war. They are all honored for their service.
Local VFW groups are hosting Veterans Day luncheons. Other eateries offer discounts and freebies for showing up in uniform or by showing a military card.
Events honoring Veterans Day are familiar and recognizable, but not all veterans are.… Read More
As dusk falls on Downtown Huntington, there is a palpable excitement in the air. Generations of fans, young and old, line the streets. Children anxiously grip their empty bags, hoping to fill them with candy. The cadence of the Marching Thunder can be heard in the distance, echoing through the buildings on campus, as vibrantly shaded leaves slowly flutter to the ground in a chilly breeze.
It’s Homecoming at Marshall University.
“I always wanted to twirl in college. My coach was a featured twirler at Marshall and I wanted to do the same thing. I started when I was 7 and I never dreamed that I would be in the same place. It’s crazy.” - Emma Korstanje One-by-one, student and community groups adorned with costumes matching the Homecoming theme Fun in the Sun! make their way through the parade route smiling and waving at onlookers, handing out candy and showing off their infectious spirit for the university they love.
The parade culminates with an iconic scene at the edge of campus – a pep rally and bonfire before the big game.
It’s scenes like these that still take Emma Korstanje’s breath away. She’s truly experiencing her Marshall moment. It’s one that she has dreamed of her whole life.… Read More
