After 15 years of good times on the golf course and great food from the grill, the Boone County Chapter of the WVU Alumni Association is once again showcasing its commitment to education through its annual Pig Roast and Golf Tournament. This southern West Virginia rite of summer is set for Saturday, July 20, at the Riverview Country Club in Madison.
With fundraising events such as this, Boone County alumni have collected nearly $100,000 for student scholarships since 1987, while also creating a $135,000 endowment with the WVU Foundation for future awards. In addition, H. G.”Gus”Shaffer and Dennie Lee Hill, long-time supporters of WVU , have created a major endowment that will one day provide $1 million in support for WVU students.
“Alums in this area have benefited so richly from WVU and we want to afford others in our community the opportunity to do the same,”explained Richard Stephens, chapter president.”So, yes, we have an awesome time, but we do so with a strong commitment to West Virginia University.”
Boone County student enrollment at WVU has doubled since this chapter was founded in the late 1980s. In addition to the Pig Roast, the chapter organizes an annual recruiting program where university representatives answer questions from local students and parents.
This years event begins at 10 a.m., with the official tee-off of the golf tournament. Recent years have seen a full field of 120 golfers. The pig roast begins at 3 p.m., with entertainment provided by the Scott High School Jazz Band and the Nicholas Glenn Band.
In keeping with recent tradition, each WVU or WVU Tech student from Boone or Lincoln County who attends the gathering will receive a $50 book gift certificate.
For information on cost and sponsorships, contact Stephens at 304-369-2411.
The WVU Alumni Association, chartered in 1873, represents more than 145,000 university graduates residing in every county in West Virginia, every state in the union and approximately 60 foreign nations. With nearly 100 registered chapters and constituent groups, the associations 26,000 dues-paying members support Homecoming Weekend, the WVU Academy of Distinguished Alumni and dozens of other social and philanthropic programs.