Linda Shomo became the first Belle in 16 years to represent Randolph County at the West Virginia State Folk Festival. (Photo Provided)

ELKINS — Randolph County had a Belle representative at this year’s West Virginia State Folk Festival in June for the first time since 2008.

Linda Shomo was this year’s Randolph Belle. The last Randolph Belle was Virginia Burky. Prior to Burky, the county was represented every year dating back to 1960, when D.P. Linger was chosen as a Belle.

“I wanted to bring the Belle tradition back to Randolph County, so I decided to apply to represent us,” Shomo said. “It’s hard to believe that we haven’t had a Belle in Randolph County for 16 years. I was proud to represent my home and the county that I truly love.”

Belles help preserve the traditional pioneer way of life at the Folk Festival. Belles must be at least 70-years old and a resident of West Virginia.

Each participant is asked to send a photo and a biography of the jobs and organizations of which they have been a part, special talents, interests and hobbies.

Linda Shomo became the first Belle in 16 years to represent Randolph County at the West Virginia State Folk Festival. (Photo Provided)

Wearing period dresses and sashes displaying their home counties, the Belles are easy to spot at the festival. Most wear bonnets and hats and sport umbrellas while roaming the festival for three days.

Belles participate in the Folk Festival Parade and have tea at the mansion of Ike and Sue Morris. The Belles also participate in a recognition ceremony at the Square Dance Platform on Main Street in Glenville.

“I had a wonderful time representing the county at Belle,” Shomo said. “I was able to meet a lot of people and it was wonderful having tea at the home of Ike and Sue Morris. That place is so big and beautiful.”

Shomo was born and raised in Elkins and graduated from Elkins High School. Shortly after high school she moved to Washington, D.C., where she took a job with the CIA in Langley, Va. Shomo is married with two sons and a grandson and is a world traveler who loves art.

Prior to her retirement, Shomo helped honor 40-plus Rosie the Riveters at the unveiling of the Ring The Bell ceremony in Glenville in 2018. After retirement, Shomo returned to Elkins where she became the president of the Emma Scott Garden Club.

During Shomo’s second year as president of the garden club, she decided to pursue a Rosie the Riveter statue, which became her Presidential Garden Club Project to encourage the love of education and beautification of the landscape, while remembering the Rosies for all they did to support the home front during World War II.

Later this fall in Washington, Shomo will receive on behalf of the Garden Club the first-in-the-world Rosie the Riveter tulip bulbs from the ambassador to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Shomo is active in the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Elizabeth Zane Chapter. Shomo wrote and published “Rosie the Riveter and the Enola Gay,” a book about her mother’s time during World War II in Akron at Goodyear Aircraft.