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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Three individuals and one organization were presented Vandalia Awards at a special Vandalia Gathering concert on Saturday, May 29, 2021. The 2021 Vandalia Award winners include The Augusta Heritage Center, Elkins, Randolph County, and Patricia Cowdery, Elkview, Kanawha County. Due to the cancellation of the 2020 Vandalia Gathering, the 2020 Vandalia Award winners, W.I. “Bill” Hairston, Charleston, Kanawha County, and Dr. Ron Stollings, Madison, Boone County, also were honored during the ceremony. West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History Curator Randall Reid-Smith presented the awards.
The Vandalia Award, West Virginia’s highest folklife honor, is presented each year during the annual Vandalia Gathering. The individuals who receive this award embody the spirit of our state’s folk heritage and are recognized for their lifetime contribution to West Virginia and its traditional culture.
Established in 1973, The Augusta Heritage Center of Davis & Elkins College facilitates cultural education through immersive and experiential workshops in music, craft, dance, foodways, and folklore. Augusta strives to highlight and elevate traditional folkways, particularly those of the underserved communities of Appalachia and beyond. Dances, concerts, festivals, film screenings, cultural sessions, and other public events connect communities of learners and enthusiasts with master artists and culture-bearers year-round. Throughout its history, Augusta has nurtured a community of artists who have shared their talents and values in a cooperative, supportive environment.
Patricia “Pat” Cowdery has lived in West Virginia for 37 years and spent 31 years coordinating and working with a team developing festivals and programs for the State utilizing all art forms and our traditional cultural heritage to nurture all ages of West Virginians, including The Vandalia Gathering. She also helped organize the first 22 years of the Appalachian String Band Music Festival and coordinated other programs at Camp Washington-Carver in Clifftop, West Virginia. She used her education and experience to develop programs, craft-shows and educational workshops sponsored by the state of West Virginia, including the traditional arts, crafts, cooking, and gardening of West Virginia and Appalachia.
W.I. “Bill” Hairston is a storyteller, old-time musician, teacher and pastor. Originally from Alabama, Hairston and his family moved to Saint Albans, West Virginia in 1960 at the age of 11. Through his storytelling, Hairston combines his rich heritage of Appalachian and African American culture. He has participated in every Vandalia Gathering since its inception and is the coordinator of the West Virginia Liar’s Contest. He is a member of the West Virginia Storytelling Guild, the Kentucky Storytelling Association, and the Ohio Storytelling Network, the National Association of Black Storytellers and serves as the West Virginia liaison to the National Storytelling Network.
Dr. Ron Stollings grew up emersed in West Virginia old-time music and culture which, as he grew older, turned to coordinating opportunities to feature prominent and local musicians. He received the Governors Arts Folk Arts award in 2010 where he was recognized for his love of old-time music and dedication to preserving this music and for his support for the Vandalia Gathering and the Appalachian String Band Music Festival.
The Vandalia Award proclamations presented to the four recipients are below:
The Augusta Heritage Center
Whereas The Augusta Heritage Center was founded in 1973 with the mission of promoting and nurturing traditional music, dance, foodways, craft, and folklore of West Virginia and beyond, especially the culture of marginalized groups; and
Whereas the past 40 years, Augusta’s staff has documented a broad range of West Virginia folklife and Augusta’s programs, amassing a large, unique archive of recorded materials and physical objects, and producing recordings and films under the Augusta Heritage label; and
Whereas Augusta Heritage Center was recognized by the Folk Alliance International with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013, and received the West Virginia Governor’s Award for the Arts in 2016; and
Whereas when the global pandemic hit The Augusta Heritage Center worked to quickly transition to an online platform in order to keep their resources available to as many as possible, offering many free to the public or by donation courses and artist talks; and
Whereas The Augusta Heritage Center is currently working to digitize the collections and archives of Augusta Heritage, striving to bring the past into the future and preserve the important culture and history of our region; and
Whereas throughout its history, Augusta has fostered inspiration through total immersion in music, dance, and crafts; facilitated tangible connections to history and living traditions; and nurtured a community of artists who have shared their talents and values in a cooperative, supportive environment.
Therefore I, by the authority vested in me to foster the preservation of West Virginia’s traditional culture, do present to
The Augusta Heritage Center
the Vandalia Award for the year 2021.
Patricia Cowdery
Whereas Pat Cowdery’s educational foundation and expertise in events coordinating and stage managing came from her Bachelor of Arts degree in design technical theater from West Virginia University and her graduate work at the Juilliard School for the Arts in N.Y.C.; and
Whereas Pat helped organize the first 22 years of the Appalachian String Band Music Festival and coordinated other programs at Camp Washington-Carver in Clifftop, West Virginia including dinner theater, Heritage Day activities, and arts concerts such as the Doo Wop Saturday Night and others; and
Whereas she spent 31 years coordinating and working with a team developing festivals and programs for the State utilizing all art forms and our traditional cultural heritage to nurture all ages of West Virginians, including The Vandalia Gathering, West Virginia State Dance Festival, Jazz Festival, and many others at the Culture Center; and
Whereas she studied extensively and encouraged others to study in areas of the arts, including music, stained and fused glass, beading, drawing and watercolor painting; and
Whereas she used her education and experience to develop programs, craft-shows and educational workshops sponsored by the state of West Virginia, including the traditional arts, crafts, cooking, and gardening of West Virginia and Appalachia; and
Whereas Pat has been a proud West Virginian for 37 years.
Therefore I, by the authority vested in me to foster the preservation of West Virginia’s traditional culture, do present to
Patricia M. Cowdery
the Vandalia Award for the year 2021.
W.I. “Bill” Hairston
Whereas Bill Hairston grew up in Kanawha County, West Virginia and has distinguished himself as a traditional musician, folklorist, teacher, youth advocate and pastor and has achieved the status of Professional Appalachian Storyteller; and
Whereas he grew up emersed in the rich African American and Appalachian cultures that the people of West Virginia shared with him; and
Whereas he has participated in every Vandalia Gathering Festival since its inception in 1977 and worked as Master of Ceremonies of the West Virginia Jazz Festival, Doo-Wop Saturday Night and many other special events; and
Whereas he has taught Mountain Heritage, Appalachian Culture and Traditional Music to thousands of children throughout West Virginia; and
Whereas he coordinated traditional music for thirty-six years at the Stonewall Jackson Jubilee and has served as coordinator and MC at the West Virginia Liars Contest; and
Whereas he currently advocates for the children of West Virginia by serving as Director Emeritus at Children’s Home Society of West Virginia, a member of the Board of Directors for West Virginia Kids Count and a member of West Virginia 4-H All Stars; and
Whereas he is a member of West Virginia’s acclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Male Chorus and one of the founders of the West Virginia Storytelling Guild; and
Therefore I, by the authority vested in me to foster the preservation of West Virginia’s traditional culture, do present to
W.I. “Bill” Hairston
the Vandalia Award for the year 2020.
Dr. Ron Stollings
Whereas Dr. Ron Stollings grew up emersed in West Virginia old-time music and culture which, as he grew older, turned to coordinating opportunities to feature prominent and local musicians. He has supported both professional and local old-time and bluegrass bands across the state for many years; and
Whereas he has been a vocal supporter of West Virginia Folklife and an advocate for the support and preservation of West Virginia Folkways; and
Whereas he hosts an annual pig roast scholarship fundraiser to support West Virginia students and showcase West Virginia artists and musicians; and
Whereas he received the Governors Arts Folk Arts award in 2010 where he was recognized for his love of old-time music and dedication to preserving this music and for his support for the Vandalia Gathering and the Appalachian String Band Music Festival; and
Therefore I, by the authority vested in me to foster the preservation of West Virginia’s traditional culture, do present to
Dr. Ron Stollings
the Vandalia Award for the year 2020.
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