Annual farm-to-table dinner raises record amount for Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College
Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College’s annual farm-to-table dinner raised a record $27,000 for college advancement and student scholarships through sponsorships and a live and silent auction which took place at the event.
The annual farm-to-table dinner at the Misty Mountain Event Barn held by the Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College Foundation in Fisher, West Virginia recently garnered $27,000 in donations through the evening’s activities, which will be used to support scholarships and students at Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College.
The annual farm-to-table dinner is a celebration of the singular traditions of the culture and food of West Virginia, from the production and preparation of its food to the stories that go along with it. The event also works to highlight the lives and stories of the culture, food land, and local producers of the Potomac Highlands, while simultaneously supporting the growth and success of Eastern and its students.
The food served at the dinner was gathered from local farms and was prepared by chefs from restaurants in the area. Before the food was served, those in attendance were presented with lavender lemonade, which contained lavender from Blackthorn Estates Nursery, as well as a grazing table with appetizers and desserts from The Grove Cafe and Bakery with cheese from Firefly Farms. The dinner was served in a buffet style, the main course being chicken legs and thigh quarters donated by Pilgrims Pride and Brisket from Flying W Farms and prepared by Meadowbrook Farms BBQ.
Also on hand were chefs from Cheetah Bs and Mullin’s 1847 Restaurant, who prepared a range of sides utilizing local ingredients from Cove Mountain Bakery, White BarnFarm Market, Teets Cattle Company, Wilfong Farms, Patterson Creek Apiary, Spring Valley Farm, M&D Maple Farm, and Buena Vista Farm.
The tickets were sold out several days before the event, and the full house saw 150 people in attendance to support the school and eat the locally prepared food.
Both live and silent auctions took place throughout the dinner with items ranging from art creation services, photograms, and a new grill. Dr. Thomas Striplin, who serves as the president of Eastern, donated six of his own photographs to be auctioned during the live auction portion of the night.
In an article posted on Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College’s website, Dr. Striplin was quoted about the event, saying, “The farm-to-table dinner is a great way to support student scholarships while simultaneously showcasing our local producers’ products and services in the Potomac Highlands Region.”
An award ceremony for the Friend of Agriculture and Friend of Philanthropy was also held during the evening, which contained a short address by Miss West Virginia 2022 Elizabeth Lynch about how important agriculture is to West Virginina.
The 2023 Friend of Agriculture award was awarded to the late Joe Mathias of Mathias Farms for his work within the agriculture community of the Potomac Highlands region. The award was presented to his family by Greg Mitchell of Farm Credit of the Virginias, who was also the sponsor of the award. Paul Wamsley, who serves as the CEO of St. George Medical Clinic was the recipient of the Friend of Philanthropy award. St. George Medical Clinic recently donated $20,000 to the Eastern Foundation so that the school could create its first permanent endowment to provide scholarships for medical education.
The senior vice president and compliance & human resources officer at FNB Bank, Inc., Della Davis, was also recognized for her volunteer service as the Foundation Board of Trustees secretary treasurer from 2020-2023.
The event also took the time to recognize the 2023 Farm Fellows and mentors. The Farm Fellowship program is supported by an Agriculture Workforce Training Award from the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and offers a program of intensive agricultural training experience that merges mentoring, hands-on practical experience, and classroom training.
The West Virginia Beef Queen Sarah Sions, the WV Dairy Princess Helen McCarty, and Cody Mitchell were also in attendance at the dinner and represented the WV State FFA Association during both the live and silent auctions. There were several prize packages available to be bid on, such as spa and movie night baskets, handmade leather work and illustrations, and more. During the live auction, a group of several of the attendees purchased a campus bench in memory of the late John C. Jack Welton.
Eastern’s director of nonprofits, Rob Burns, was quoted about the purchase, saying, “The Eastern Foundation appreciates the opportunity to provide memorialization for families who have loved ones that passed away. We value being able to help families honor their loved ones.”
The farm-to-table dinner is Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College’s biggest fundraising event of the year. Each year, the event looks to bring the community together to support education for students and the local area more broadly. The live and silent auctions and raffle ticket sales brought in $27,000 for the Eastern Foundation. The figure is the largest the event has ever brought in for the school.
The dean of advancement and continuing education at Eastern, Dr. Megan Webb, spoke about the support from the community, saying, “We are incredibly thankful for the community’s outpouring of support for student advancement. We look forward to providing this event again next year.”
Dr. Webb also talked highly about the work of Burns and Jennifer Rexroad, who both worked with the college’s foundation to coordinate the event, as well as the support from the many sponsors and supporters who made the farm-to-table dinner run so smoothly, such as: the Potomac Highlands Producers Co-op, Misty Mountain Event Barn, Farm Credit of the Virginias, St. George Medical Clinic, and the farmers behind all of the products used in the meal, table and event ticket buyers, and those who donated the auction items.
The Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit that works in tandem with the college to fundraise for college advancement and student scholarships. The foundation participates in campaigns like the farm-to-table event, online fundraising, Giving Tuesday, and more. More information about the Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College Foundation can be found on the foundation's webpage.
More information about Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College can be found at the school’s website.