Wilkes Community College presented checks to its MerleFest volunteer organizations on Tuesday, May 6, at the Doc and Merle Watson Theatre. The volunteer groups shared information on their number of volunteers and the number of hours contributed during the four-day festival. “We cannot thank our MerleFest volunteer groups enough,” said Lee K. Cornett, volunteer group coordinator for MerleFest. Indeed, MerleFest has a lasting impact on the region. While 2014 figures are not yet available, in 2013 MerleFest had over 4,600 volunteers contribute more than 49,500 hours to help make the festival a success. The volunteer groups earned approximately $380,500 through their participation. MerleFest, founded in 1988 in memory of Eddy Merle Watson as a fundraiser for Wilkes Community College Endowment Corporation and a celebration of “traditional plus” music, was held April 25-28, 2013. Wilkes Community College is a member of the North Carolina Community College System, is a public, two-year, open-door institution serving the people of Wilkes, Ashe and Alleghany counties.