Mountaineer Boys State officially begins this evening with a message from a man whose life story embodies perseverance, service and leadership. Citizens gather for Sunday dinner to hear from Jamie Summerlin.
Jamie Summerlin is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and the visionary behind Freedom Run, a 3,452-mile journey across America undertaken to honor and support military veterans. What began as a personal mission to give back to those who serve transformed into a nationally recognized campaign that inspired countless Americans and raised substantial awareness for veterans’ needs.
After his run, Jamie authored Freedom Run: A 100-Day, 3,452-Mile Journey Across America to Honor and Empower Our Veterans, a memoir chronicling his coast-to-coast experience and the deeply human stories encountered along the way. His journey led him to found Operation Welcome Home, a West Virginia-based nonprofit focused on helping veterans reintegrate into the workforce and community life.
Jamie is also a long-standing supporter of The American Legion Mountaineer Boys State program. His continued commitment to service, mentorship, and leadership education aligns closely with the core values of the program and leaves a lasting impression on each new generation of Citizens.
Today, he continues to speak across the country, blending leadership, service, and endurance into powerful lessons for civic engagement and personal purpose. His dedication to honoring veterans and his tireless work in the community embody the very ideals The American Legion Mountaineer Boys State seeks to instill in its Citizens.
As the first featured speaker of the week, Summerlin helps establish the foundation for everything that follows. His story reminds citizens that character, perseverance and service remain essential qualities for effective leaders in any field.
Mountaineer Boys State is one of the nation’s premier hands-on leadership and citizenship programs, giving young men the opportunity to build and operate a model government while developing the skills needed for a lifetime of service. Today’s presentation is part of a week-long series of educational programs featuring leaders from government, education, business, media and public service across West Virginia.