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Students gathered in the SAC to join in the fun of the fall festival including games, sweet treats and music.

Casey Palmer

November 8, 2011

The sound of bluegrass music and a taste for caramel apples brought students out of their dorms and into the SAC last Thursday night for the first fall festival sponsored by the student government association.

SGA and residence life planned the event to support the yearlong symposium, “A Celebration of Appalachia,” and professors donated baked goods and money for the event, which integrated Appalachian heritage with a good time.

	Students participate in pumpkin decorating

Dr. Joe Saunders’ family donated pies; Dr. Donna Watson donated cupcakes; and Dr. Marsha Mead and Phyllis Owens donated money.

The festival was originally scheduled to be outside but due to rain it was moved to the student activity center (SAC).

“Having it inside actually made it work better,” said SGA president Bethany Liddle, a junior from Galax, Va.

Activities included bobbing for apples, face painting, corn hole, and pumpkin painting. Students who wanted a challenge participated in the cake walk, doughnut and a pie-eating contests. The only activity the rain stopped was the hayride sponsored by residence life.

“I really had a lot of fun,” said SGA senator Amber MacDonald, a senior from Beckley, W.Va. “It was a great way to get the students involved and having fun together as a campus!”

The room was decorated with hay bells, pumpkins, scarecrows, and paper leaves giving the SAC an outdoor look.  Caramel apples and cupcakes with orange and brown icing added to the fall atmosphere.

“It was great,” said Alphonso Gordon, a freshman from Bridgeport, Conn. “It was just like it would’ve been if we would’ve had it at home.”

Bluegrass music was provided by Quay White, Darrell Stiltner, Tommy Taylor, and Dean Hubbard from Tazewell, Va. These men have been playing together on and off for about 20 years. A few others from the community played with them at the beginning of the night.

“We enjoy the youth and we enjoyed coming,” said Taylor. “Anytime we can help young people by playing we go and play.”

Hubbard brought professional bluegrass experience to BC. He has his own group called Walking by Faith that he and his children started more than 20 years ago. One of the songs from their album, I Can Picture, is number one on the gospel charts right now. Two of their songs are currently playing on the radio nationwide.

“We had a great time out here,” said Hubbard.

As decorations were taken down and the music began to fade, the SAC was still full of people.

“Overall it went really well,” said Liddle. “And it was exciting to see so many people come out!”

SGA members hope to sponsor an event like this in the future because so many people enjoyed it.

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