BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) – As we honor and recognize the lives that were lost on 9/11, we should also take the time to acknowledge the fallen heroes that have served and fought for our freedom. Around the nation VA National Cemeteries will ​be joined by thousands of volunteers, in an effort to clean the headstones of fallen soldiers and beautify the grounds. A day known as Carry the Load Patriot Day. In Grafton, the West Virginia National Cemetery and employees like, Ivy Bartlett will also be participating in the nation wide event. Hoping to spark community comradery and a bit of patriotism.

“Cremation and above ground cremation section, they come through and basically straighten up the place a little bit better than what it really looks like right now. Really the main focus we do is, we have a big project for them, when they come in. What they do is we’ll give them scrub brushes and buckets of soapy water and they’ll go through and scrub the headstones for us.”

While tomorrow serves as a day of remembrance; it can also be a day of service. Not only to ones country, but also their own community.

“Last year you could say there were probably twenty-five to fifty people. This year we’re expecting fifty to over one hundred people. So, we’re expecting a big turnout this year.”

While tomorrows volunteers hope to leave the cemetery better than they found it. The collective mission is to never forget.

“Never forgetting, never forgetting 9/11. We try to emphasize that every single time we have volunteers come out, if they want to talk or stuff like that that. Our director is going to do a big speech for everybody, on just the remembrance of 9/11.”

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The WVU community is invited to reflect on service across the nation beginning at 8 a.m. tomorrow (Sept. 11) outside the Downtown Library followed by breakfast in the Mountaineer Ballrooms. 

Attendees will reflect on and celebrate the success of the Seneca Rocks 10th Mountain: Climb to Glory service project that united Veterans, families and the broader West Virginia community in a large clean-up project at Seneca Rocks held in August. 

Following breakfast, WVU Army and Air Force ROTC members and Veterans will lead the group to the USS West Virginia mast in front of Oglebay Hall to change the flag and present it to Provost Maryanne Reed who will present it to President Gee in commemoration of his retirement. 

The Summit: 9/11 Veterans Breakfast is planned for 8 a.m. at the WVU Wise Library where the WVU ROTC will start its 24-hour vigil in remembrance of 9/11. Breakfast will follow in the Mountainlair Ballrooms from 9-11 a.m.

The event is hosted by the Center for Community Engagement, Center for Veterans, Military Families, and Family Programs, WVU AmeriCorps VISTA program and the WVU ROTC.

Register to attend.

For the third year in a row, West Virginia will face Pitt in the Backyard Brawl. It’s the third of four matchups between the bitter rivals with this year’s edition taking place at Heinz Field. To this point, there are no future matchups scheduled, and Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown wants that to change.

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“We got to get our schedule fixed and we’re in the process of kind of doing that,” said Brown. “I think it’s a series that needs to be played. I think Pitt wants to play it. We want to play it… I know it makes sense for us to play the game.”

Saturday will be game No. 107 between West Virginia and Pitt, with the Panthers having the all-time series lead. When the Big East fell apart as a football conference following the 2011 season, there was a decade-long hiatus in the rivalry. Brown’s goal is to make sure his program continues to play Pitt.

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Part of West Virginia’s issue is playing in the Big 12 and having nine conference games. Three nonconference opponents mean there is not a lot of wiggle room, especially with some high-profile games already scheduled. One of those is Alabama but Brown hinted at getting out of the home-and-home series.

“We’re in the process,” he said. “We got Alabama. That ain’t fixed.”

As of now, Alabama is planning on going to Morgantown in 2026 with the reverse trip to Tuscaloosa taking place the following year. If West Virginia can get out of the contract, a spot would be opened up and allow them to play Pitt. The Panthers — who schedule four nonconference opponents a year in the ACC — currently have openings in 2026 and 2027.

Alabama AD Greg Byrne has not yet commented on the situation but looking at their schedule, he may not be opposed to dropping the game either. The 2026 and 2027 schedule already has another power conference foe, facing Florida State at home and traveling to Ohio State.