We hope many readers had the pleasure of attending this year’s production of Rumsey Radio Hour, which was staged at Shepherd University’s Marinoff Theater this past September. Rumsey Radio Hour is Shepherdstown’s homegrown version of National Public Radio’s Prairie Home Companion. The net proceeds from tickets and advertisers support the programs and services of the Shepherdstown Public Library.

Now that the receipts have been tallied, and the many people whose contributions made this year’s performances possible have had a chance to catch their breath, I’d like to tell them how grateful we at the library are for all they’ve done. Their efforts generated a net return of more than $8,335 – money that will be used for acquisitions and literacy programs, to make the library an even more valuable resource for the community.

To the extraordinarily talented people who created and performed the show’s music and comedy skits and supplied the old-time radio sound effects, thank you! Our gratitude and admiration go to performers Todd Coyle, Laura First, Clissy Funkhouser, Nina Geiger, Sam Jannotta, Mark Kraham, John McCarrick, Don Oehser, Nelson Smith and sound engineers Matt Robinson and Bill Unger. Your audiences were amazed and enthralled!

Special thanks go to Rumsey Radio Hour’s stalwart director, Peggy McKowen, associate producing director of the Contemporary American Theater Festival. We would also like to extend our eternal gratitude to coordinators Sandy Brown and Ray Sibley, for working tirelessly to bring this production together.

To the nearly two dozen local businesses and organizations that bought advertising space in the Rumsey Radio Hour playbill, thank you! Your ads and messages of support reached 450 theatergoers, all of whom, recognized the contribution you were making to our community.

To the volunteers of Friends of Shepherdstown Library, who organize and staff Rumsey Radio Hour and two other Shepherdstown Public Library fundraisers every year, thank you! Funding from the state, county and town are our mainstays, but budgets at every level are tight, and the funds you raise through your diligence and hard work make a big difference.

I’d also like to mention Rumsey Radio Hour supporters John Snyder and HBP (who print the playbill) and Shepherd University.

Finally, to all the theatergoers who attended Rumsey Radio Hour performances at the Marinoff Theater this year, thank you! I’m sure you had a great time, and hope you’ll be back next year. For those who couldn’t make it this time around, do come by next time and see what you’ve been missing.

Shepherdstown is a great community of which to be a part. We at the library and FOSL are honored by your continuing support.

Hali Taylor, SPL director, and Rob Sisk, FOSL president