OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH BCT
THE MOUNTAIN STATE APPLE HARVEST FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES RENEWED PARTNERSHIP WITH BCT – Bank of Charles Town
Martinsburg, WV - The Board of Directors of the Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival gathered today for a special announcement that will continue to provide a major boost to the annual festival in their 44th year.
“Today marks an unprecedented occasion in the history of the Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival,” according to festival board president Susan Snowden. “In 2019, the Bank of Charles Town (BCT) stepped up to provide a major financial boost to our festival with their commitment to join our organization in promoting our rich agricultural history by becoming our presenting sponsor. This was the first time the Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival partnered with a presenting sponsor. BCT’s roots are tied to orchardists in the eastern panhandle, being founded by orchardists, farmers, and local business owners in1871. The Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival celebrates the role that apple orchards play in our past, present and future. We believed that combining these two powerful groups whose genesis is similar would equate to success - and it did!”
Snowden continued by explaining the renewed partnership, “Because of BCT’s unwavering commitment over the past 4 years of both financial and people resources providing hundreds of BCT volunteers each year at festival events, The Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival will offer them the recognition as the “Presenting Sponsor” of our entire festival.”
BCT President & CEO Alice Frazier said she and their Board of Directors have been pleased with this partnership and the opportunity to increase the bank’s involvement in an event that has such rich heritage.
Frazier stated, “We shared this at our initial press conference four years ago but it bears repeating. 38 far-sighted local orchardists, farmers, and business leaders saw the need for a bank to serve as a stabilizing influence on the Eastern Panhandle. Bank of Charles Town was formed by neighbors helping neighbors. Today, 152 years later, BCT has grown to nearly $800 million in assets and employs over 130 associates in the tri-state region. After serving as Presenting Sponsor the past four festivals, we are thrilled with the opportunity the Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival gave us to renew our partnership to provide continued financial and people support.”
Snowden said that the festival is blessed to not only have BCT continue as the Presenting Sponsor but many other businesses and individuals in the community who have been Major Event Sponsors for the festival weekend. “Without all of these faithful businesses’ and individuals’ continued support, the festival would not have been able to provide this long-standing tradition in our community. The board looks forward to celebrating the 44th anniversary of the festival this fall.”