I think we all enjoy buying toys for Christmas, even if we don’t have small children of our own. We can all recall the excitement of finding a new toy under the tree as children, and the fun of watching our children and grandchildren discover that same joy on Christmas Day.
Of course, there are always some children whose families don’t have the means to purchase gifts, and some children who are separated from loved ones at Christmas. There are Good Samaritan organizations who collect toys for such young folks almost anyplace you look, often the local fire, police, or service organizations. We found a couple going on this month with a specifically bluegrass flavor for people in southwest Virginia and central Tennessee.
There is one scheduled for this Saturday (December 12) in Galax, VA at Creek Bottoms Brews, sponsored by Camp B Chord, an outfit that will be familiar to anyone who attends the city’s Old Fiddlers Convention each summer. They can always be found there playing driving bluegrass into the wee hours of the mornings, in the key of B, don’t you know.
Music will be provided by a band of young bluegrass all-stars: Keith McKinnon from IIIrd Tyme Out, his brother Kevin, Jason Davis and Jamie Harper from Junior Sisk & Rambler’s Choice, and Eli Johnson and Stephen Burwell from Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.
There will be no charge to attend the show, other than a new toy which will be donated to the Brenner Children’s Hospital in Winston-Salem, NC.
You can count on hearing some great music, and having a fun time with some of our top young grassers.
In addition, Bluegrass Underground and Cumberland Caverns are collecting toys for donation to the Toys for Tots Drive for the Warren County Rescue Squad in Tennessee. New toys and cash donations can be dropped off at Cumberland Caverns, or mailed to them at:
1437 Cumberland Caverns Road
McMinnville, TN 37110
Cash donation can also be made online.
Not only will you have the certainty of helping bringing some Christmas cheer to less-privileged children, each new toy or donation of $5 or more will also enter you into a drawing to win one of three prize packages for Bluegrass Underground tickets, along with accommodations and restaurant passes for shows in 2016.
To be entered in the drawings, toys or donations must be received by December 19.
Full details about the prize packages can be found online.
