The fact that Lunenburg’s Got Talent exists is a really touching testament to a community that cares for its youth.

The Lunenburg County Chamber of Commerce helped get the event started in 2017 and sponsored it this year with Benchmark Community Bank.

I remember covering the inaugural edition of the show last year. Chamber President Mel Payne picked Meri Page Spencer to chair the Lunenburg’s Got Talent Committee and put the 2017 event together. The committee also included Mike Hankins, Patricia Mahaney and Pat Israel. Spencer noted the show was the brainchild of Payne, who was not able to attend in 2017 due to a family illness. Thankfully he was able to be on hand this year, offering the welcoming and closing addresses.

After the 2017 show ended, Spencer said the intent of the event was entertainment for the area, “but it’s also to let some of these kids shine who may not otherwise have an opportunity, and there’s a nice prize that comes with first place … Hopefully, maybe they’ll be able to use that money to do something that they have never been able to do before.”

This is a truly admirable endeavor. Many community or government initiatives benefit area children in a way that can seem indirect. Money allocated to the schools ultimately can lead to a better educational experience and more opportunities for children and should most justifiably be recognized.

But there is something incredibly direct about the opportunity that Lunenburg’s Got Talent gives to participants. The intentionality of the event is impossible to avoid. Young people are given the floor and the community’s attention to show everyone what they can do. In addition to this, first-place winners in the elementary, middle and high school categories receive $500 prizes.

Last year’s competition featured 13 participants. This year, that number was down to eight.

Moving forward, I do hope more young people in the county will make the most of this great opportunity that the chamber, along with the community, is offering to claim the floor and, maybe, some money too.

Titus Mohler is the sports editor for The K-V Dispatch and Farmville Newsmedia, LLC. His email address is Titus. Mohler@KVDispatch. com.