ReEnergize Watauga LIVE raises over $13,000 for local small business loan program
Virtual Fundraiser from Appalachian Theatre Raises $13,621 for Re-Energize Watauga Fund
(Article submitted by the Appalachian Theatre. Photos by Jan Tood, Deep Creek Photography)
The first virtual event ever broadcast live from the Doc Watson Stage at the Appalachian Theatre in Boone proved to be a success as $13,621 was raised to benefit the Re-Energize Watauga Fund. The collaboration between Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and the App Theatre on Saturday, June 20 featured live performances by four prominent regional artists with livestreaming available via social media and local access cable channels.
Artists included Darin and Brooke Aldridge, the Harris Brothers, the Jeff Little Trio, and Todd Wright and Friends. Proceeds are going directly to Mountain BizWorks, a non-profit community development organization that is administering the Re-Energize Watauga Fund.
App Theatre Chair John Cooper acknowledged event sponsors SkyLine/SkyBest, Deal,Moseley, & Smith LLP, and Modern Automotive, while saying the “virtual virtuosity” of the performance artists was largely responsible for exceeding the goal by over 36%.
Behind the scenes, Cooper recognized the staffs of the Chamber and the theatre for successfully pulling off the first-time occasion while singling out broadcast director Wayne Sumner and his crew from Jackson and Sumner Associates. “We couldn’t have pulled this off without Wayne and his team,” said Cooper, who noted that the event demonstrated the type of programming that can be produced during the current pandemic.
Boone Chamber President/CEO David Jackson said, “This event captured the spirit of what makes Boone and Watauga County such a special place. We had world-class musicians playing their hearts out to help support the unique business community that makes this area such a treasure. The donations should be seen as a testament to how people feel about our community, how they want to see small family businesses have a chance to get back on their feet. Hopefully the Re-Energize Watauga fund can provide that boost as we continue to hope for better days."
“The Appalachian Theatre was the perfect place for this event,” said Jackson. “The theatre has been bringing us together for decades, and tonight they did it again… for a great cause!”
Further information about the Re-Energize Watauga Fund and applications for financial assistance are available at www.mountainbizworks.org.