FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 21, 2009

For more information:
Bob Edwards
Public Relations Department Assistant
Glenville State College
Glenville, West Virginia
(304) 462-7361 ext. 6390

Glenville, WV—The fifth annual Constitution Day Ceremony was held at the GSC Presidents Auditorium on Thursday, September 17th. The event is sponsored by the Glenville State College Department of Social Sciences and the West Virginia Zeta Chapter of Pi Gamma Mu, the Social Science Honor Society. The theme of the 2009 celebration was ‘The Constitution’s Call to Public Service.’

The keynote speaker for the event was Dr. Bob Henry Baber, GSC Major Gifts Officer. Dr. Baber became very familiar with the subject of public service when he served as Mayor of Richwood, West Virginia from 2004-2007. He was also a West Virginia gubernatorial candidate in 1996 and is currently the chairman of the West Virginia Mountain/Green

Party. Baber spoke about his experiences as a candidate and as an elected official. He encouraged the audience to step up and become involved in our political process. “They (the politicians) are us. Even though it is sometimes very difficult to be in public office, individuals need to accept the challenge of getting involved in government,” he said.

The top three finishers in the Constitution Day Essay Contest, ‘The Constitution and Public Service,’ read their winning entries. Barbara Blankenship of Braxton County, a fast track Education major, took first place honors and received a $25 gift certificate to the GSC Bookstore for her winning essay: “Public service” can be defined as “service performed for the public good;” and the U.S. Constitution provides many opportunities to perform acts of public service. Perhaps the most basic public service is voting. By voting, the average citizen expresses his or her opinion as to who should lead our country at all levels from local municipalities to the President.

The Constitution offers other opportunities for public service including establishing justice through a system of courts; insuring domestic tranquility through paid and volunteer first responders; providing for the common defense through an active and reserve military force; and by hiring administrators and other civilians to promote the general welfare. But is this all? Does it take a “government paycheck” to perform “public service?” Hardly not. The opening phrase of the Constitution’s Preamble reads: “We the people of the United States …” Since it is we, you and I, who are the “people,” what we do to better our community is public service; and helps to form a more perfect union. Therefore, the merchant who sponsors a little league baseball team is performing a public service. So is the truck driver who assists a stranded motorist; the youth club that sponsors a "community cleanup day;" and the student who participates in a charity event. Thus, private citizens who, out of concern for their community, can secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity by performing acts of public service as outlined in the Constitution of the United States.

Blankenship was a runner up in the 2008 Constitution Day Essay Contest.

GSC senior Frank Witte, a Psychology major from Gilmer County and Savana Priest, a senior Criminal Justice Major from Braxton County, shared runner-up honors, and each received a $10 gift certificate to the GSC Bookstore.