Event to Raise Funds for Scott County Endowed Scholarship

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Virginians-2010Gate City, VA – A special dinner and entertainment event will be held September 22 to raise funds for Scott County students attending Mountain Empire Community College.

 The Mountain Empire Community College Foundation will host a fundraiser for the Scott County Endowed Scholarship on Thursday, September 22 at 6:00 p.m. at the Scott County Career and Technical Center in Gate City.  The event theme is Puttin’ on the Ritz, and patrons will enjoy a delicious buffet dinner and entertainment by The Virginians.

The Virginians first organized as a musical group in 1965, so 2016 marks its 51st anniversary. All of the members were from Wise County or the City of Norton, and that’s still the case today. For the first decade, the band played every weekend within the southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, and eastern Kentucky region, particularly at country clubs, and the many large service clubs that existed in the Tri-Cities at that time. Of course there have been many personnel changes over time, and the band has been through periods of inactivity in years past, only to reform for special events, reunion concerts, and other functions.

The 2016 edition of the band includes three of the members who first played in the 1960s, plus more recent additions. Also, the number of personnel used for particular performances can range from four to seven. The Virginians specialize in a broad range of popular dance music, including American standards, R&B, and even some rock and roll and–rarely–a country tune. Versatility has always been the group’s hallmark, and it remains so to this day.

Tickets for the event are $30 and sponsorships are available for a gift of any amount. For tickets or to sponsor the event, contact Jeri Bledsoe in the MECC Foundation office at (276) 523-2400, extension 287, or by e-mail at jbledsoe@mecc.edu.

Gifts to the Scott County Endowed Scholarship are fully tax-deductible.  Anyone wishing to contribute to the fund may give online by going to the MECC Foundation webpage, www.meccfoundation.org, and clicking on the red “Make A Gift” button located at top right of the page. Gifts may also be mailed to MECC Foundation, 3441 Mountain Empire Road, Big Stone Gap, Virginia 24219. Please note in the comments section that the funds are for the Scott County Endowed Scholarship.