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George and Jenny Ragsdale will host the first Jamestown Pig Pickin’ Festival, a fundraiser for Family Service of the Piedmont, from 7 to 11 p.m. July 31 at their home, 404 E. Main St. in Jamestown.

“Some of my fondest memories are of my family going over to Paul Gardner’s farm, where he would cook a pig and invite the entire community,” said George Ragsdale, who serves on the board of directors of Family Services of the Piedmont.

“Others would come and bring side dishes and desserts,” he recalled. “There was music and a good time had by all. These memories and others have fortified the fact that a pig pickin’ has and will always represent a community gathering to me. From this, the Jamestown Pig Pickin’ was born.”

Jenny Ragsdale has worked on the High Point Oyster Roast fundraiser for Family Service.

“This was brought up among some of the other board members, and we had a very positive response,” George Ragsdale said. “We thought of an event that would complement the existing events and attract others who reside in our community.”

The event will offer pork and chicken, cooked in various styles by barbecue chefs, as well as an assortment of drinks and live music.

Amid all of the festivities, the Ragsdales hope to raise awareness about Family Service, which serves thousands of people in crisis each year.

“We have realized that our awareness in the community is nowhere near where we want it to be,” George Ragsdale said.

Family Service is not as well known in Jamestown as it is in Greensboro and High Point, he said.

“As a Jamestowner and proponent of Family Service, I believe that it is important for the other residents of our community to know of this resource and that Family Service is, in fact, headquartered in our town,” he said. “Our hope is that with this event we can raise that awareness and provide additional funding to the agency on an annual basis.”

Billy Ragsdale, former mayor of Jamestown and George’s father, is the honorary chairman.

Admission is $50 per person. For tickets, visit www.familyservice-piedmont.
org/news/events or call 889-6161, Ext. 5212.

Contact Malcolm S. Eustache at malcolm.eustache@news-record.com