The legacy of Big George continues with endowment; Clown Band performs patriotic show tonight.

By Carrie Klemm. MCP Writer.

SCOTTVILLE – It’s that time of year again! This Tuesday, the Scottville Clown Band will be hosting its annual Patriotic Concert at the Scottville Clown Band Shell, a tradition that has carried on since the construction of the bandshell was completed in 1989. In true patriotic fashion, the band will play all the America-loving favorites including the “Salute to the Troops”, “the Battle Hymn of the Republic”, “God Bless America” and, of course, the “Star Spangled Banner”.

New this year, the band will be accepting donations for the George F. Wilson Memorial Endowment Fund.

For years, the Scottville Clown Band has contributed to charitable causes and granted innumerable scholarships to assist youth involved in performing arts with furthering their artistic education.  The Raymond F. Schulte Memorial Scholarship and the Bud Simms Memorial Grant were started as a way to provide these scholarships. Spawning from the idea of the Scottville Clown Band’s Treasurer and Mason County Press Editor-in-Chief, Rob Alway, the fund was created as an efficient way of coordinating the band’s charitable efforts.

George C. Wilson, son of George F. Wilson, member of the Clown Band Board of Directors, street leader, MC and lifetime clown, said that the fund was named in honor of Big George because of his vision for the band.

“BG was a driving force behind the Clown Band becoming a large charitable organization,” said Wilson. “He wanted the band to give back to the community and this fund immortalizes his dream. It provides a stabilized way for us to deliver scholarships consistently in perpetuity.”

The goal of the endowment fund is to raise a sustainable base of $100,000.00 which will be invested in the Community Foundation of Mason County. Interest from the fund will contribute to the scholarship programs already in place and will allow for a steady annual amount to be granted rather than sporadic sums based on yearly donations. The endowment will have returns more profitable than the Scottville Clown Band can make on its own.

The Patriotic Concert is a tradition for the band, performed each year during the week of the Fourth of July. For the band, it offers a chance to show civic pride and honor community veterans as well as the veterans who play with the Clown Band.

“It is an opportunity for the community to gather together and celebrate the heart and vision of small town America,” Wilson said. “It is always great to watch as a tremendous number of people in the audience stand and sing ‘God Bless America’ and ‘America the Beautiful’ while the band plays.”

The concert starts at 7 p.m. and will also feature Chloe Kimes, one of the many recipients of this year’s Raymond F. Schulte Memorial Scholarship during intermission. Throughout the show, the band will be collecting donations for the endowment fund.

Bring family, bring friends and bring a loud singing voice for a great night of musical entertainment and celebration of America, the beautiful.

In case of rain the concert will be moved to Mason County Central High School.