Summersville, WV (WOAY) – The fifth annual West Virginia Gold Star Mothers Bridge Ride crosses the New River Gorge Bridge on Saturday, and organizers are asking the public to come out and support it.
The ride honors 69 West Virginia service members lost in the post-9/11 era, along with the Gold Star mothers who lost them, according to organizers. Their names are printed on the official 2026 ride T-shirt.
“We are mothers whose sons and daughters have died in active military service to this country,” said Belinda Jividen, a Gold Star mother. Her son, Army Capt. Benjamin Ronk, died in 2015. Jividen said he was a helicopter pilot who flew medevac missions in Afghanistan.
Paul Witt, president of the West Virginia Gold Star Mothers Bridge Ride, said the sole purpose of the weekend is to honor those who were lost.
“The sole purpose of this is to honor what is now the 69 lost soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen from West Virginia or direct West Virginia ties. We say their names and we honor their legacies,” Witt said.
The weekend began Friday at the Walmart in Quincy, where riders departed for Summersville. Witt said about 100 to 125 motorcycles were on the road to Summersville during his interview Friday.
Organizers said riders were scheduled to gather at the Summersville Downtown Pavilion around 1:30 p.m., where they would be welcomed by Summersville Mayor Dave Harper and West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner.
Remarks were planned from West Virginia Gold Star Mothers President Rose Shilling, with a hot dog lunch provided by the city. Witt said several Gold Star mothers would be on hand. A welcome party for riders, Gold Star families and volunteers is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. at the Quality Inn in Summersville.
Jividen said the riders’ commitment means a great deal to her.
“But to take that time to honor our children is just heartwarming and amazing,” she said.
She said the work of the Gold Star mothers is rooted in service.
“Everything that Gold Star mothers do, we do for the veterans, because our children can no longer serve. So we serve in their place. … It’s a good feeling to be with people who understand exactly what you’ve been through,” Jividen said.
The main event is Saturday. Registration and line-up run from 7 to 9:30 a.m. in the lower parking lot of the Summersville Arena & Conference Center, and the parade begins at 10 a.m., according to organizers. Pre-registration is available at bridgeride.org.
The motorcade travels through downtown Summersville, then south on U.S. Route 19 and across the New River Gorge Bridge. It continues through downtown Fayetteville, returns north on Route 19, crosses the bridge a second time and passes through the Mt. Nebo area to The Tractor Bar in Nicholas County. Arrival is expected between 12:15 and 12:30 p.m., with an official Gold Star remembrance ceremony planned for about 1 p.m.
Organizers say downtown Summersville and downtown Fayetteville are the best places to watch. The public is encouraged to display American flags and gold ribbons along the route.
“They can wear their red, white and blue. They can cheer. … Line the streets and let these mothers know that their sons and daughters didn’t give their lives for nothing. That we will always remember them,” Witt said.
Organizers say donations are accepted at bridgeride.org.
“I am Belinda Jividen, the proud mother of Army Captain Benjamin Ronk. Say their names,” Jividen said.
