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One of Ralph "Gig" Morris' Christmas presents this year was a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The visit to the memorial on Dec. 21 coincided with the 50th anniversary of Morris returning home after serving in the Vietnam War in 1968 and 1969.
The Christmas gift to Morris, 71, of Waverly was provided by his daughter and son-in-law Tonya and Steven Kellar of Morgantown, who went on the Washington, D.C., trip. Other family members also getting a Christmas present trip to Washington Dec. 20-22 were Morris' wife, Becky, Steven's parents, Richard and Marilyn Kellar, and the Morrises' grandson Cameron Kellar.
Ralph Morris said his main goal of the Washington, D.C., trip was to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall again. The granite reflective wall is inscribed with the names of the 58,318 service members who died in the Vietnam War.
As an Army sergeant E-5, Morris "lost many buddies" in the Vietnam War, Becky Morris said.
"It is a privilege and an honor to be able to go there (Vietnam Veterans Memorial) and honor my fellow brothers who died in service for our country," Ralph Morris said.
Most of the names on the Vietnam War wall were 18 to 21 years old when they died, Morris said. They never got the opportunity to raise a family, work and enjoy other experiences, he noted.
Morris also visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial 12 years ago.
Morris doesn't like to talk about his experiences during the Vietnam War. He was assigned to the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat) and served in the A Shau Valley along the border of Laos.
A 1967 graduate of Williamstown High School, Morris was drafted into the Army on July 15, 1968. He retired from Solvay of Marietta and lives on a farm on Carpenter Run.
While in Washington, D.C., the Morris and Kellar families also visited the Smithsonian Castle, the National Archives, the National Museum of American History, the U.S. Capitol, the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial), Arlington National Cemetery, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. They watched "A Christmas Carol" at Ford's Theatre.
"I am proud to be a veteran," Ralph Morris said.
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Last Sunday evening's "Beer & Carols" holiday event of the New Wineskins at Marietta Brewing Co. raised $200 for Hope Recovery Manor in Parkersburg.
New Wineskins founder Joe Webb knows the Rev. Shauna Hyde, Hope Recovery Manor executive director, and thought the donation would help the recovery center in its early development. Webb, of Williamstown, is an ordained deacon in the West Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Plans call for Hope Recovery Manor, 1016 Market St., to provide a two-year program for women recovering from substance abuse. If a grant is received by the end of January, the manor could begin operating shortly thereafter, a manor official said.
Hyde appreciates the New Wineskins' donation to the manor, Webb said.
New Wineskins, which started in 2014, had 38 people attend Sunday's gathering, including a group from Morgantown, "Beer & Hymns," which led the holiday singing. Webb said he is looking at bringing guest speakers to next year's sessions, which are expected to resume in mid to late January.
New Wineskins is a discussion group that is not affiliated with any church or denomination. "The purpose is to have conversations about faith and cultural issues and where they intersect in a safe, open, non-judgmental space where people can feel free to ask questions and express opinions," Webb said.
Webb described the group as an "out-of-the-box ministry."
Those who attend the gatherings come from a variety of faith backgrounds and church memberships, and some have no formal church connection, Webb said.
Webb said he was grateful for those who are helping to build a community through conversation at New Wineskins.
Contact Paul LaPann at plapann@newsandsentinel.com