DAVIS – Sharing good food with good friends for a good cause brought hundreds of folks together Friday evening for the 28th annual Uncle Sam’s Birthday Party for the Tucker Community Foundation.
The Uncle Sam’s Birthday Party was started to help purchase office supplies for the Tucker Community Foundation and today, funds generated from the event help fund scholarships for students and general charitable needs for projects in the eight-county service area which includes Barbour, Grant, Mineral, Pocahontas, Preston, Randolph and Tucker counties and Garrett County Maryland.
Only 250 tickets are available for the event-249 tickets are sold and 1 ticket is reserved to auction during the event. The top prize is $5,000 cash. This year the team winning the $5,000 cash prize included Fred Myers, Kelly Roberts, Solena Hovatter and Skylar Roberts.
Myers said he found out before the event he is facing some health issues.
“This kind of shows maybe my luck is running the right way,” Myers said.
Tucker Community Foundation Executive Director Robert Burns said this is his 13th year working with the Uncle Sam’s Birthday Party.
“It’s been another exciting year,” Burns said. “This year we have the Mountaineer Package which is something we have never done before and it includes tickets to the West Virginia University basketball and football games, valued at $2,000.”
Sam and Amy Goughnour won the Totally Mountaineer Package.
Winners of a $125 prize include Mike Cooper, Martin Jefferson, Roscoe Beall, Shelia DeVilder, Debbie Living, Sherry Simmons, Debby McHenry, Scott Hinkle, Lori Haynes, Riley Barb and Rod Jones. The $500 winner was Mark Doak, $400 winner Kim Bettler, $300 winner Dave Moran and $200 winner Scott Hinkle.
The Greenbrier Package, valued at $1,700 went to Blane and Wendy Steensland. The couple said they would enjoy the package with includes lodging and amenities at the Greenbrier Resort.
“We have been to the Greenbrier before, but it has been a long time ago,” Blane Steensland said. “This will give us a chance to go back. This is so exciting.”
The Total Tucker Treasure Chest, valued at $3,200 went to Barbour County resident Michael Cvechko,
Tucker Community Foundation Development Director Diane Hinkle said the Foundation’s 2016 Annual Report was just released.
“This year, it features Grant County,” Hinkle said. “Two years ago, we featured Mineral County and last year, Pocahontas County.”
Hinkle said Run for It is coming up and she said she feels this year will be another record-breaking year.
“We have a lot of new teams who have entered and the Grant County Commission has signed up to sponsor so we have seven county commissions who are supporting this regional event,” Hinkle said.
“I want to say how much we appreciate the people who come out on this busy holiday weekend to support the good cause of the Uncle Sam’s Birthday Party,” she said. “All of the proceeds benefit great causes. Canaan Valley provided an excellent meal tonight and everyone seems to be having a good time. It is a great event.”
Sponsors of the Uncle Sam’s Birthday Party include Citizens Bank of West Virginia, the Grant County Bank, Miners & Merchants Bank and Mountain Valley Bank.
Additional information about the Tucker Community Foundation is available online at www.tuckerfoundation.net or by calling 304-478-2930 or 304-259-5388.
