By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
This weekend the Orange Army Bluegrass Festival is coming to the Carter County Shrine Club Show Grounds. That show (story inside) helps raise awareness and funds for cancer patients. But it’s just the latest event for a good cause to come to the park.
Last weekend the Country on Tygart show brought country music artists to the park for a free concert to support the same cause. While the weekend before that it was the Shriner’s own bluegrass festival – an annual event now in its 33rd year – that drew music fans to the park.
That show raises funds for the Shriners Children’s Hospitals; where children can receive treatment for serious illness and disease at no cost to their families.
Carter County Shrine Club president Donald “Ducky” Owens said he’s glad to see the Shriner’s proven charitable formula being utilized to grow other events, and that the club can provide their venue for those events.
“It’s a great space for it,” Owens said, noting that the park is available to rent for various events, from weddings to concerts and more.
He said it also creates great community energy to have these other events at the park, and that he hopes the Shriner’s annual bluegrass show can serve as a cornerstone and anchor for preserving and advancing our local music traditions, including these other bluegrass festivals and shows, while advancing these worthy causes.
“We hope it does serve as an anchor, and hopefully it continues,” Owens said, adding that Orange Army founders Robert and Sheila Porter have been great to support the Shriners in the past, and that everyone with the club was praying for Sheila’s continued recovery.
“I’m hoping that it will continue next year,” he continued.
As for this year’s Shriners Bluegrass Festival, Owens said they averaged more than $2,000 a night in donations, and brought in more than $12,000 after expenses to support the Shriners Children’s Hospital mission.
He said while the bluegrass shows take a lot of time and effort, they’re always rewarding – musically and emotionally.
“I know, it’s a lot of work and everything, but it’s a lot of fun too,” he said. “And what else are we going to do to raise money for the kids?”
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
