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Kennedy to end year as Wood County Belle

Jorie Kennedy, 2016 Wood County Belle. (Photo Provided)

ROCKPORT — A Rockport woman is finishing her year’s reign as Wood County Belle.

Mrs. Jorie Kennedy is completing her year as the Wood County Belle, representing the county in June at the West Virginia Folk Festival in Glenville.

She  was sponsored by the Wood County CEOS, where she has served as president for her local club, Country Roads CEOS, for four years and as Wood County CEOS Council president for two years.

Kennedy enjoys doing organic gardening, heirloom seed saving, needle crafts (knitting, crocheting, thread crocheting), cooking, remodeling a 100-year old farmhouse, and walking, hiking, and water aerobics to keep her fit.

She and her husband, Dennis Kennedy try to live responsibly and be self-sufficient. They cut and heat with their own firewood, produce solar electricity, do their own remodeling work on the farmhouse, and raise and preserve most of their own food on their 300-acre farm.  They harvest 500-1,000 pounds of organic fruits and vegetables from their garden each year, and grow wheat to grind into flour for baking.

The Kennedys are happy to have “zero garbage” for pickup, by recycling or composting waste materials from their lifestyle.

Mrs. Kennedy has been a major developer and contributor to research, writing, and product development in the field of workplace education. She has authored and had published over 70 textbooks and numerous white papers (under the name of Jorie W. Philippi).

She says there also is a little-known fact that she holds the local hunting record for having shot and killed two bucks at 70 yards with one bullet.

Each county in West Virginia is invited to send a representative to the West Virginia State Folk Festival. The women must demonstrate the importance of home and family in preserving our culture, moral values, traditions, crafts, and work skills. These women are called Belles. Belles must be at least 70 years old, reside in West Virginia, and possess the pioneering spirit that characterizes our mountain heritage.

Each Belle is asked to provide information on her special talents and interests, as well as supplying unusual facts about their lives. She also is asked to share the advice she would give to young women today and what they would like others to know about their communities.

Originally hailing from Pennsylvania, Ms. Kennedy has lived in southern New Jersey, Europe, and the greater Washington, D.C. area before moving to West Virginia in 1993. She has held various positions in education hroughout her life.

Kennedy moved to West Virginia “for love”, but the main reason she chooses to call Rockport home is “watching the changing seasons color and recolor the soft hills that surround the farm.”

Her advice to young girls of today is to remember: “Life often hands us experiences we’d rather not have; it’s important to bloom wherever you’re planted and always try to do your best under any circumstances.” Mrs. Kennedy firmly believes that women should volunteer-not just to help others, but also to gain knowledge of others and to broaden the network of people you understand.

Kennedy has three daughters and two grandchildren.

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