Russellville man attends Trump inauguration

Contributed
Local chiropractor Rick Wooten enjoys the inauguration weekend for President Donald Trump, including posing with a Trump cutout, joined by Mary Elliott Aderholt; viewing the inauguration and subsequent events and speeches; and taking in the Women’s March.

With the inauguration of President Donald Trump in January came the marking of a new milestone for local chiropractor Dr. Rick Wooten – his fourth attendance to a presidential inauguration.

Wooten was there for the first-term elections of President H.W. Bush, President George W. Bush, President Barack Obama and now Trump. He attends by invitation of personal friend Congressman Robert Aderholt – irrespective of the political party coming to power.

“It doesn’t matter – I’m going in reverence to the process, respect to the process of the swearing-in and the peaceful transition of power,” he said. “It’s amazing to see how everything comes off and the energy you feel surrounded by all those people.”

Wooten traveled to Washington, D.C., Thursday and enjoyed the Texas Black Tie and Boots Presidential Inaugural Ball, with plenty of live music and food. Friday morning he attended an early morning Alabama Prayer Breakfast before the inauguration and then enjoyed the parade afterward. Saturday he took in the sights, including the Women’s March.

From Wooten’s experience, all was peaceful.

“I walked around all over the city and never felt threatened or scared because of any demonstration or anything that was going on,” Wooten said.

Several other Russellville and Franklin County citizens also attended, including Russellville’s Mark DeArman.

Wooten has a stack of mementos from his trips to inaugurations. They evoke memories he will treasure and document a tradition he hopes to continue for inaugurations to come.