Currahee Military Weekend Wraps Up

Rain affects this year’s Currahee Military Weekend.

This weekend, Toccoa and Stephens County hosted the 15th annual weekend that honors the World War II paratroopers that trained at Camp Toccoa.

Because of the rain that fell throughout the day Friday and Saturday and even into Sunday morning, a host of activities out at the airport did not take place.

In addition, the parade was cancelled and the opening ceremony was moved inside to the Mitchell Allen Meeting Room at the historic train depot in downtown Toccoa.

Cynthia Brown works with the Stephens County Historical Society and the Camp Toccoa at Currahee Project.

Brown said it is important to have this weekend each year to remember the stories of these men.

“There is something about being able to tell those stories for the generations to come,” said Brown. “I look around and see the children. We need to learn these stories and learn from these stories.”

Brown also took time during the opening ceremony to talk about the Camp Toccoa at Currahee Project.

That project’s goal is to develop and restore the actual site of Camp Toccoa at the foot of Currahee Mountain where the paratroopers trained.

According to Brown, the next step in that effort is the construction of a pavilion.

Brown said that the Camp Toccoa at Currahee project has received grant funding to build that pavilion.

“We were notified this past week that we have received money from the Appalachian Regional Commission,” said Brown. “It is a grant. We have to match it and we have already done that.”

Brown said future plans also include re-building barracks to allow people to sleep on the Camp Toccoa site.

Currahee Military Weekend wrapped up Sunday morning with a Remembrance Service that was moved to the Mitchell Allen Meeting Room as well due to the weather.

Other activities that were not stopped by the rain this past weekend included the annual Currahee Challenge Run/Walk, a book signing, the annual Hangar Dance, and the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce BBQ.