The Mason County Community Foundation is looking for corn eaters to participate in a Corn Chow Down Challenge on Friday, July 3.

Proceeds from this event will benefit the new Mason County Fund for Youth. The Mason County Community Foundation, WBGS and WBYG Radio, Captain D’s and City National Bank are sponsoring the event as part of the 2009 Community Challenge campaign to build the Mason County Youth Fund.

Last year the community foundation worked with a large group of business sponsors and non-profit organizations to establish the Mason County Fund for Youth. The community provided overwhelming support with donations totaling over $80,000.

“Due to strong community support and the increasing demand for local grand funding for youth programs, we are continuing the Youth Fund Community Challenge for one more year with a goal of adding $25,000 to the fund by November 2009. The fund for youth is utilized each year to provide grants to local non-profits for youth related programs and projects in Mason County,” Amy Leach, MCCF marketing committee chair said.

The Corn Chow Down Challenge will be 5-7 p.m. at the Point Pleasant Riverfront Park. The challenge needs 10 adult participants and 10 youth participants, ages six-12. Each challenger will be required to raise sponsorships of $25 for the youth division and $150 for the adult division for their participation. Whoever eats the most corn in five minutes will be declared agriculture royalty and will win a variety of prizes.

The winners will be crowned King of Queen Kernel in the adult division and Li’l Niblet in the youth division. Winners also will be featured in the Point Pleasant Sternwheel Regatta parade on Saturday, July 4.

“We encourage local businesses to put official corn challengers in the event, have co-workers sponsor their challenger and bring a large group to the river front to cheer them on. This is a fun way to raise funds to support our greatest resource — our kids,” Missi Scarberry, City National Bank representative and 2009 community challenge chair, said.

To register as a corn eating challenger or to obtain more information on the Corn Chow Down Challenge, call City National Bank at 304-674-1000. Registration forms also are available at the bank’s Point Pleasant office. Participants must be registered by 4 p.m. Thursday, July 2.

The community Foundation volunteers invite business, individual or organizations sponsors to make support donations to the Mason County Fund for Youth. Interested supporters can learn more about the Mason County Fund for Youth and how they can be involved by calling Scarberry at 304-674-1017 or by e-mail at melissa.scarberry@cityholding.com; Leach at Pleasant Valley Hospital at 304-675-4340 ext. 1492 or by e-mail at aleach@pvalley.org; or Jane Winters of the Mason County Community Foundation at 304-372-8588 or by e-mail at jane.winters@pacfwv.com.

The Mason County Community Foundation (MCCF) is a non-profit charitable affiliate of our community’s foundation that works to build permanent, dedicated funds to benefit Mason County. The foundation was created in 2004 by a local group of citizens and works to create a stronger community by connecting donors and resources to the area’s greatest needs to sustain the community over the long-term.