The Shadow
TALENT SHOW WINNERS — TAP (Total Action for Progress) held its Talented Area People event September 13 at Covington High School. At left is David Crosier, winner in the adult category, and at right is Kariyia Pickens, winner in the youth category. The event served as a fundraiser for TAP organization. (TAP Photo)
TALENT SHOW WINNERS — TAP (Total Action for Progress) held its Talented Area People event September 13 at Covington High School. At left is David Crosier, winner in the adult category, and at right is Kariyia Pickens, winner in the youth category. The event served as a fundraiser for TAP organization. (TAP Photo)
•
•
On September 13, TAP stood not only for the nonprofit Total Action for Progress, but Talented Alleghany People as area performers shared their skills in an evening fund-raiser at Covington High School.
“The idea was to showcase the talents of people in Alleghany,” and was “designed to raise funds for the programs in the Alleghany Highlands that TAP offers,” said Angela Penn, vice president of economic and real estate development at TAP.
These include, but are not limited to, Head Start, Virginia CARES, Project Pride and Fathers First.
Program emcees and TAP-Alleghany Highlands Board of Commissioners members Harriett Woodward, who also serves on TAP’s Board of Directors, and Alfred “Mustard” Dearing displayed their own skills with a “TAP rap,” with Dearing also demonstrating his roller skating skills over the course of the evening. Dawn Wilson served as stage manager.
Judges Joanne Hayslett, Don Carter and Pearl Miller gave Kariyia Pickens top honors in the youth category for her dancing, and David Crosier first place in the adult category with his gospel-style singing.
All twelve acts who performed, five in the youth division and seven in the adult, received participation medals.
The event was chaired by TAP-Alleghany Highlands Board of Commissioners members Anne McMen-namy and Margaret Howard.
Sponsorship and fund-raising efforts were led by Temple Kessinger.
Sponsors included B.A. Rupert Real Estate, Inc., Chapman Plumbing, Cucci’s Pizzeria, Franson Insur-ance, Highlands Community Bank, Highland Therapy, Mead Westvaco, Standard Printing and Tri-County Furniture.
“The event was well-attended, the performers represented the Alleghany Highlands very well,” said Curtis Thompson, vice president of financial services at TAP.
While this was the inaugural year of the program, there are hopes to make it an annual occasion. “With the success of this event, we’re looking forward to an even bigger and better event in 2015,” Thompson explained.
