Monday, Aug. 30, 2010

Concert raises $1,300 for college scholarships

The money goes to scholarships, honors First Baptist pastor

A gospel concert Saturday raised $1,300 to be pooled into the ongoing college scholarship fund named for a pastor who died in 2006.

The First Baptist Church of Los Banos sponsored the third annual Rev. G.B. Blackmon II Scholarship Fund gospel concert over the weekend. The concert took place at Bethel Community Church at 415 I St.

The Rev. Bruce Gaillard said the size of scholarship has improved yearly.

"It's growing," Gaillard said. "It's growing."

The afternoon saw performances by choirs, praise dancers and soloists, including G.B. Blackmon III.

Mayor Tommy Jones, who served as a deacon with Blackmon II, headlined speeches by a few different orators.

Gaillard, who heads the scholarship's committee, said the church holds the concert in August, and also a fish fry in April, every year as a way to boost the scholarship.

Gaillard said Costco, where Blackmon II worked, donated to the scholarship, and provided the refreshments served after Saturday's performances.

Potential scholarship recipients, Gaillard said, must fill out an application for a piece of the nest egg. The scholarships given out are commonly between $300 and $500.

The Rev. Melvin Whittle, pastor at First Baptist Church, said Blackmon II was very community-oriented. Blackmon II served as a director and coach of youth sports, a youth minister and as the first president and a founder of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Whittle said Blackmon II's passion for youth and education were the inspiration for setting up the scholarship fund.

"We miss him, but we carry on his legacy by giving this scholarship out every year for our youth who are going to college," Whittle said.

Anyone who wants to contribute to the Rev. G.B. Blackmon II scholarship fund can contact Gaillard at (408) 476-8833.

Enterprise staff writer Thaddeus Miller can be reached at 388-6562 or by e-mail at tmiller@

losbanosenterprise.com.