Submitted photo Linda Shomo became the first Belle in 16 years to represent Randolph County at the West Virginia State Folk Festival.

GLENVILLE — For the first time since 2008, Randolph County had a “Belle representative” at this year’s West Virginia State Folk Festival.

In June, Linda Shomo became the first Randolph Belle in 16 years to attend the festival in Glenville, now in its 67th year. Before Shomo, Virginia Burky was the last Belle representative from Randolph County. Prior to Burkey, 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.”

The Belles help preserve the traditional pioneer way of life at the Folk Festival. Belles must be at least 70 years of age 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. They are asked to also list their special talents, interests and hobbies.

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 proudly roaming the festival for three days.

During their stay, Belles take part in the State Folk Festival Parade, and are treated to tea at the mansion of Ike and Sue Morris. The Belles also take part 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, Virginia. 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 moved back to Elkins, where she became the president of the Emma Scott Garden Club.

During Shomo’s second year as president of the ESGC, she decided to do 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, D.C., Shomo will be receiving on behalf of the ESGC the first in the world Rosie the Riveter tulip bulbs from the ambassador to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Shomo is an active member of the NSDAR Elizabeth Zane Chapter. Shomo wrote and published a book about her mother’s time during WWII in Akron, Ohio at the Goodyear Aircraft, entitled “Rosie the Riveter and the Enola Gay.”