"Thank you to the individuals on the front lines who keep our families, our clients and their families, and our communities safe and secure throughout the year.” Louis H. Khourey & Jonathan E. Turak Gold, Khourey & Turak

It’s that time of year! The 8th Annual Law Enforcement & Fire Safety Appreciation Day Picnic has been scheduled for Saturday, September 16, 2006 from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the National Corrections & Law Enforcement Training & Technology Center (NCLETTC), also known as “The Moundsville Center.” Last year nearly 600 law enforcement officials, firefighters, first responders, and their family members representing 46 different departments throughout the Ohio Valley attended the picnic. The attendance, both in number of people and number of departments represented, was the most ever for the annual event, and we are anticipating another large turnout this year. If you plan on attending the picnic, please R.S.V.P. by September 5, 2006. You can do so by signing the sign-up sheet at your local department, or by completing the on-line form.

As always, free food and beverages will be provided throughout the day. This will mark the 4th consecutive year that Chef James and his staff at Café Burress has catered the event. Grilled to order rib-eye steaks will be on the menu, as well as a large variety of side dishes. Chef James always brings a surprise dish to the picnic...last year it was fried cat fish. No one knows what’s in order for this year. Click here for a sample menu. For those of you who did not know, Café Burress has moved to 113 South Penn Street on Wheeling Island. We encourage you to stop by and visit his new location. Of course, those law enforcement officials and fire personnel who register at the welcome table will receive a Free T-shirt commemorating this year’s picnic. We will also be handing out 60 free tickets for tours of the West Virginia Penitentiary, and the upcoming Haunted House. Both the t-shirts and tickets are in limited supply, so please come early and stay all day.

We are excited to announce that live music will be performed by The Fabulous Bender Boys. The band recently completed their 2nd year at Jamboree in the Hills and has performed at a variety of locations throughout the Ohio Valley, including at Oglebay Park for the 4th of July fireworks show. Be sure to check out their website and calendar of events to see where you can catch their next “gig.”

Also, this year we will have the picnic’s first ever emcee, Allison Latos and Lisa Montgomery from WTOV TV 9.

Other activities include the popular firearms simulator competition. Awards will be handed out the top two individuals and two-person teams at the end of the day. Football fans will be able to keep up on the day’s games on a big screen t.v.. The Speed Pitch, Fire Safety House, and E-One Firetrucks are yearly favorites and this year will be no different. Kids will keep busy all day running back and forth between making items at the craft station and enjoying the inflatables. Thanks to Jay Knapp, Brad Varlas, Kenny Rhodes, and True Value’s Don Meredith for helping secure these items for the event. The big screen t.v. is compliments of Eric Rowe from Rent-A-Center in Bridgeport, Ohio. Wesbanco Arena is donating a stage for this year’s picnic.

The National Corrections & Law Enforcement Training & Technology Center (NCLETTC) is located inside the former West Virginia Penitentiary and offers various training exercises and classes year-round for law enforcement, fire personnel and first responders. Call Mike Logsdon at the NCLETTC at 843-4147 for additional information.
Each year the NCLETTC offers their facilities to our law firm for use during the picnic, and their staff members help with the picnic on their day off. We appreciate all they do to assist us and the community throughout the year.

The annual picnic is provided courtesy of Gold, Khourey & Turak.

Click here to view photos. If you have attended the picnic, we'd like to hear from you. Please click here to submit your comments.