Contact: Melissa Reifert
March 23, 2007

Senator Webb and Author Biggers Draw 200 to MECC Fox Festival

The 31st Annual John Fox, Jr. Festival produced a packed house in the Goodloe Center of Mountain Empire Community College.  Approximately 200 guests attended the event, which featured appearances by Senator Jim Webb and author Jeff Biggers.  Audience members included over 100 public school students, some of whom had submitted entries to the Lonesome Pine Short Story and Poetry Contests, held in conjunction with the festival.  Winners for the writing contests were announced at the conclusion of the program.

Webb read from his book, Born Fighting, the story of how the Scots-Irish and their fighting faith in America shaped the nation.  He also participated, via interactive television, in a question and answer session with the audience.

“I’m happy to have had the opportunity to speak at the 31st Annual John Fox, Jr. Literary Festival as both a writer and as your Senator, which I’m very proud to be,” said Webb.  “My book, Born Fighting, chronicles the lives of the very people who settled in Big Stone Gap and all along the Appalachian Mountains. I encourage people to pursue writing because writers are the eyes and ears of any society where people look at the human condition and report it back so people understand human nature and the way people live just as I did in my book.”

Biggers also took questions from the audience and spoke about his book, United States of Appalachia.  He says he relates to the Appalachian region because of his own background growing up in the coalfields of southern Illinois.  His grandfather was actually a coalminer who was once trapped for several hours due to a mine collapse, and eventually died of black lung. 

In his book, he points to all the “firsts” in American history that happened in the Appalachians or occurred because of an individual who was born and raised in the Appalachians.  He encouraged audience members to tell people who make fun of the Appalachian area to read his book, which shows how the region has positively affected the nation by changing the way Americans live. 

“It is as important for a kid in San Francisco, California to read this book as it is for a kid in Harlan, Kentucky,” stated Biggers.

The program concluded with the announcement of the winners of the 20th Annual Lonesome Pine Short Story and the 3rd Annual Lonesome Pine Poetry Contests.  All winners received a cash prize, a certificate, and a free pass to see The Trail of the Lonesome Pine outdoor drama in Big Stone Gap this summer.

In the adult category, Sharyn Martin of Kingsport, Tennessee won first place in the short story contest for The Yard Sale.  Ann Austin of Appalachia received second place, while Janet Phipps Lester of Seymour, Tennessee received third place. 

For the high school category, Powell Valley High School’s Brandon Addison won first place for his story, The Railroad Man.  Christa Hill and Kendria Johnson from Wise County Christian School placed second and third, respectively, in the high school category. 

Wise County Christian School’s Elizabeth Hill placed first in the middle school category for her short story, His Eyes.  Brooke Hines from Wise County Christian School received second place, while Justin Ingram from Jonesville Middle School received third place.

In the Lonesome Pine Poetry Contest, Stephanie Cassell from Norton placed first in the adult category for her poem, Harvest Table.  Robin Charles from Clinchco received second place and Jade Bolling of Wise received third place. 

For the high school category, Dane’ Moore from the Christian Homeschoolers of Southwest Virginia received first place for the poem, Come to the Farm.  Christa Hill from Wise County Christian School won second, while Stephanie Hall from Pound High School won third. 

In the middle school category, Jonesville Middle School’s Taylor Anderson won first place for the poem, Covering Me Up.  Aftyn Woodard from Jonesville Middle School received second place, while Christian Sean Dimick from Ervinton High School received third place.

Winners of the 2007 Lonesome Pine Short Story Contest attended the 31st Annual John Fox, Jr. Festival, where they received a cash prize, a certificate, and a free pass to see The Trail of the Lonesome Pine outdoor drama this summer in Big Stone Gap.

(Front row, left to right) Brandon Addison, Powell Valley High School; Brooke Hines, Wise County Christian School; Stephanie Hall, Pound High School; Janet Phipps Lester, Seymour, Tennessee; and Justin Ingram, Jonesville Middle School

(Back row, left to right) Christa Hill, Wise County Christian School; Kendria Johnson, Wise County Christian School; and Elizabeth Hill, Wise County Christian School

Winners of the 2007 Lonesome Poetry Contest attended the 31st Annual John Fox, Jr. Festival, where they received a cash prize, a certificate, and a free pass to see The Trail of the Lonesome Pine outdoor drama this summer in Big Stone Gap.

(Left to right) Christa Hill, Wise County Christian School; Jade Bolling, Wise, Virginia; Taylor Anderson, Jonesville Middle School; Aftyn Woodard, Jonesville Middle School; Robin Charles, Clinchco, Virginia; and Stephanie Cassell, Norton, Virginia

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