(L to R) Rachael Garcia Thompson, the 2025 Christmas Mother, stands with the outgoing 2024 Christmas Mother, Ingrid Barber, shortly before the start of the luncheon on Thursday afternoon.

Rachael Thompson Named 2025 Christmas Mother By Jennifer Bailey Staff Writer   Clifton Forge, VA (Sept. 11, 2025)— On this, the 24th anniversary of 9/11, there are many reasons to be sad. However, this afternoon's luncheon at the Historic Masonic Theatre gave us all a little something to smile about. Rachael Garcia Thompson, a Covington native who arguably exemplifies all it means to embody the honor, was named the 2025 Alleghany Highlands Christmas Mother. Garcia was Valedictorian of her 2002 class at Covington High School where she went on to pursue her education at the University of Richmond. She graduated magna cum laude with a bachelors degree in '06 before pursuing a Masters of Business Administration at James Madison University (JMU) in 2011. In addition to her scholastic accomplishments, she pursued graduate work at Liberty University (LU) and Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). Rachael Thompson currently serves as a co-advisor for Mountain Gateway Community College's (MGCC) honor society, Phi Theta Kappa, is a member of the Faculty Committee, and is on the Chancellor's Faculty Advisory Committee for the Virginia Community College System. Around 12:00 p.m. this afternoon, a luncheon was held at the Historic Masonic Theatre's in their Westrock room to both name the 2025 Christmas Mother and honor her with a special luncheon.

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