T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Run for the Wall riders arrive in the hundreds at a welcoming dinner hosted by Belmont County Tourism Council at the former JoAnn Fabrics by the Ohio Valley Mall.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE – No amount of rain could stop the Run for the Wall riders from their mission of going from Ontario, California, to Washington, D.C., then to Marseilles, Illinois.

During their trip from D.C. to Illinois, the riders stopped in Belmont County. Their 350 motorcycles arrived in St. Clairsville on Sunday evening. The group arrived at 5:15 p.m. to the former JoAnn Fabrics by the Ohio Valley Mall, where they were greeted by Belmont County Tourism Council who welcomed the group with a dinner.

This specific route of the Run for the Wall is called the “Sandbox Route” and its mission is to go “Wall to Wall,” meaning that it starts at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., and ends at the Middle East Conflicts Wall in Marseilles, Illinois.

The organization came into St. Clairsville on Sunday for the fifth time. It spends Memorial Day morning on Main Street, filling it street with motorcycles for the city’s annual Memorial Day celebration at the Belmont County Courthouse Plaza.

“This group are just amazing people,” Belmont County Tourism Council Executive Director Jackee Pugh said. “They’re so appreciative of all the effort that we put into hosting them, and it’s one of my favorite events. I look forward to it every year.”

She added that the inclusion of Belmont County to the group’s itinerary came from ride leadership member Brandon “Five-O” McCray, who is the Uhrichsville Police Department Captain.

“When he became part of the leadership team that put together this Sandbox Route he said, ‘If I’m going to be a part of this, I really want them to stop in my home state.’ So that’s how this all came about,” Pugh said. “He’s been an amazing partner, and he’s familiar with this area because he’s from Uhrichsville, and he originally wanted this group to see what St. Clairsville had to offer.”

Run for the Wall Sandbox Route road guard Billie “Bugs” Dunlap said that the group loves coming to Belmont County.

“When I led the first run in 2022 and we stopped here and had the big ceremony downtown by the courthouse on Memorial Day with all of those people there, I just loved it,” Dunlap said. “We love being here. The people of Belmont County are just phenomenal patriots, and it just means a lot to us to be back here and celebrate Memorial Day to remember all of those we’ve lost defending our freedom here with such great patriots in Belmont County and St. Clairsville.”

Belmont County Commissioner Vince Gianangeli added that the feeling is mutual between the county and the riders.

“They stay in various hotels here in Belmont County, so it brings a lot of economy to our county. They spend money here, and they actually look forward to coming here. They really enjoy coming to Belmont County and we love having them here,” Gianangeli said. “This year is extra special because we’re celebrating America’s 250th as well as Belmont County’s 225th anniversaries, so it makes it extra special to have the Run for the Wall riders here.”

On Monday the riders will attend the city of St. Clairsville’s Memorial Day Ceremony at 7:30 a.m. in front of the Belmont County Courthouse. The program will feature welcoming remarks from Belmont County Commissioner Jerry Echemann, music from the St. Clairsville High School Band, a firing salute from the American Legion Post 159, and a guest speaker, retired Army Col. Bill Mulvey.