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Barksdale Cancer Foundation (BCF) is busy finalizing plans for its second annual wine festival, “Miss Janie Sit & Sip,” to be held Saturday, Oct. 5, at the Gil-Har House in Phenix. Located at 6447 Patrick Henry Highway, the event will last from 1-7 p.m. House tours will be offered throughout the day.

“We are so excited to be bringing two awesome bands to the event,” says BCF Vice President Kim Cassada. Kicking off the day’s music will be local favorite the Stony Ridge Band from Keysville, making a return engagement from last year due to popular demand. They will play from 1-4 p.m., followed by Public Consumption from neighboring Halifax County, who will finish out the day’s event.

Approximately 20 vendors have expressed interest in participating in the festival, selling everything from handmade jewelry to yard art and flowers to “reloved” furniture and other items. The Charlotte County Lions Club will once again serve up a variety of food offerings. Anyone who would like to serve as a vendor is urged to email Kim Cassada as soon as possible at kimdavidc@yahoo.com. Deadline for submitting fee and application is Sept. 15.

New to the event this year will be representatives from Virginia’s Department of the Treasury. “Va$earch” will be set up to help the one in four Virginians who have unclaimed money or assets in the state. “The Unclaimed Property Division receives funds and property turned over to us when they have lost track of the rightful owner,” explains a spokesman for the state treasury. “These items include utility deposits, customer refunds, unpaid wages, money from insurance policies, securities and investments, bank accounts and more.” There is no cost, no risk, and no obligation to utilize the service. For more information on the service go to www.vamoneysearch.org.

Another new offering this year will be a local brewery, Staunton River Brewing Co., located just across the Charlotte-Campbell County line in Brookneal, they have been brewing two-to-five-barrel batches of beers using local ingredients since 2006.
Barksdale Cancer Foundation also welcomes its generous sponsor, B2X Online providing internet for this year’s event.
A beautiful blanket chest handcrafted and donated by popular, local craftsman, Lee Hall of Drakes Branch, will be raffled the day of the wine festival. Also to be given away that day is a 29” x 55” crocheted throw, made and donated by Miranda Dunn of Red Oak. The throw pictures a bottle of wine and stemmed wineglass.

Tickets for the chest and throw are available at the following locations: Keysville Hardware & Farm Supply, Phenix Town Office, Drakes Farm & Home, Wylliesburg Diner, Village Arts & Crafts in Charlotte Court House and Chase City Florist, or from any board member.

Tasting and non-tasting tickets for the event may be purchased online through Paypal or by credit card by visiting the website, www.barksdalecancerfou.wixsite.com/mysite and clicking on the upcoming events tag. Tasting tickets can be purchased at the gate or by calling the following, Charlotte Court House, Terri at (434) 470-1225; Drakes Branch, Pixie at (434) 391-4726; Red Oak/Wylliesburg, Wendy at (434) 470-1538; Phenix, Pat at (434) 547-2864; or from Keysville Hardware. This is a 21-and-over only event.

Visit BCF board members at its booth during the Town of Keysville’s End of Summer Festival, Aug. 31, 11 a.m. at the Osborne Street Park. Tickets will be available for sale for the wine fest, blanket chest and the throw. We will also be doing a 50/50 drawing.

Barksdale Cancer Foundation is a grassroots organization founded in 1999. Its sole purpose is to give monetary and services support to Charlotte County cancer patients. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit manned by volunteers, with no ties to any other cancer organizations. If you know of someone in need, call Wendy Lankford at (434) 470-1538. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, it may be mailed to Barksdale Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 225, Charlotte Court House, VA 23923.