A big thank you
The 29th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Observance in Rappahannock County took place Jan. 19, 2020 at the Little Washington Theatre on Gay Street, the home of this community-wide event, each and every year since the first one (I believe one year before my time as program director there was one cancellation due to the weather.) We're fortunate that in these many years only one cancellation.
A huge thank you to all the people who make it possible each year, Nancy Raines, the proprietor of The Theatre, her staff including Kendra Hendren, and others I may not know by name. Lillian Aylor, as we all know, is a true jewel to the Rappahannock community, and beyond, has given of her time and talent to make the program possible each year and headed the Julia E. Boddie scholarship fundraising for most of these 29 years. You are appreciated.
To the dynamic cast of "Songs that Moved the Masses," you totally nailed the essence of this production with each selection and each time you stepped to the microphone!
Bobby Glasker, Marie Davis, James Daniels, Nancy Peacock, all exemplary voices and professionals in every way! I cannot pay you or thank you enough for bringing your own musical styles and nuances to my written words and the classic tunes written by musical geniuses such as Sam Cooke, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon, Common, and John Legend.
Mo Safren, what a gift and talent you are to this community. I wish you much success in all that you do.
Special shout out to Anders Drew, our guitarist, for your participation. It was an amazing experience! In the words of McCartney and Lennon, “I get by with a little help from my FRIENDS.”
This couldn't have been more true for this show.
I've received a number of messages by email, Facebook, phone, and in person that this year was “the best ever!” How can we match or top this in 2021?
Thanks to Mr. Thomas Lewis, Sperryville, our videographer for making the effort each year to document the program.
We appreciate Rev. Nathaniel Townley, pastor, Forest Grove Baptist, Amissville for blessing us with the invocation.
To every attendee and every donor, on behalf of the Julia E. Boddie Scholarship Fund, the Scrabble School Preservation Foundation (SSPF), Inc., and the SSPF Board, we thank you and appreciate the community at large for your support. Every donation is important, with special thanks to John Fox and Beverly Sullivan, and Cheri Woodard for their sizable donations in support of the event.
For our partners and cosponsors at Atlantic Union Bank, we appreciate you. Thank you to the Rappahannock News and Patty Hardee for covering the event. Patty, you captured the very essence and spirit of the evening.
I've stated this before, and it's still relevant, that I challenge myself to learn something new about Dr. King every year. This year's theme was, “Toward Justice,” from one of Dr. King's speeches, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Your support each year brings us closer to justice for everyone.
Til next year. Be a King. Nan Butler Roberts President, Scrabble School Preservation, Inc. and Julia E. Boddie Scholarship Fund