Country music artist Kate Boytek performed at the 37th annual Boone County WVU Alumni and Friends Pig Roast and Mountaineer Music Frolic on Saturday, July 12, at WaterWays Outdoor Amphitheater in Julian. The annual scholarship fundraiser, organized by the Boone County WVU Alumni Association, is one of its longest-running signature events. Kate and others helped raise almost half a million dollars at this year’s event.

“I am truly honored to be part of this incredible fundraiser to help rural students go to college, many times as the first college student in their family,” Boytek said. “Music has the power to bring people together and make a real difference, and I am humbled I was given the opportunity to support this wonderful cause!”

The Boone County fundraiser began in 1987 with 10 WVU alumni in Boone County contributing $100 each, raising a total scholarship amount of $1,000 to help one local student attend West Virginia University. The annual summer event has grown into a must-attend affair that has raised more than one million dollars, funding 500 student scholarships. This makes the Boone County alumni group the top provider of scholarships among all WVU Alumni chapters. Organizers said the 2024 pig roast, including Boytek’s live performance, was not only a fundraiser for those scholarships, but also illustrative of what a community can accomplish when it pulls together to help its residents.

In addition to her accelerating music career, Boytek’s impact extends beyond live performance. Over the years, she has appeared at Healing Appalachia, helping spotlight the region’s ongoing fight against opioid addiction, visited West Virginia public schools to encourage music education, and performed for West Virginia AmeriCorps staffers and volunteers to thank them for their service. Boytek’s 2024 tour is presented by the Town of Gilbert’s Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Kate’s latest single release is “House Fire” — listen HERE. Visit Kate Boytek online at www.kateboytekofficial.com.