“Patrick Jackson on saxophone …”

For those who have heard Patrick Jackson play, it would not be surprising that he won the Pike County’s Got Talent Show at Cattlemen Park Saturday night.

Jackson’s arrangement of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” won him top honors and also the $500 prize money, Gale Renteria won second place honors with a vocal selection and received $250. Trace Ewell took third place and the $100 prize with an original song and guitar piece by his uncle.

Pike County does have talent and that was very evident Saturday night when the Leadership Pike Class of 2017 presented “Pike County’s Got Talent,” said Rebecca Blankenship, class secretary.                       

“We had 14 contestants in the talent show and they were all very talented,” Blankenship said. “Most of the contestants either sang or played an instrument. We had a couple of jazz group to perform so there was good variety in the show.”

Blankenship said the admission-free Pike County talent show was well attended and the response to the show was positive. “We were very pleased with the number of contestants and the attendance,” Blankenship said. “Even before the show, the idea of making a countywide talent show an annual event, had been tossed around. Our Leadership Pike class thinks it would be a good idea because we do have a lot of talent here in Pike County.”

Whether Pike County’s Got Talent would be an event of the Leadership Pike class each year or the sponsorship would change is up for consideration. But there’s no doubt that Pike County’s Got Talent. Blankenship said the success of the talent show must be shared with the show’s sponsors. “We want to thank all of our sponsors,” she said. “They are the ones who made it happen and we want to recognize them to let them know how much they are appreciated.”

The Leadership Pike Class expressed appreciation to the following sponsors:

• Platinum Level Sponsorship: Troy Cable.

• Gold Level Sponsorships: Horn Beverage, Lockheed Martin, Dr. Rick Gill’s Office and Deer Run RV Park.

• Silver Level Sponsorships: Troy Family Dentistry, First National Bank, Troy Bank and Trust, KW Container, The Messenger, Sanbuck and Guardian Credit Union, Pike County Commission and Moseley Industrial Supply.

• Bronze Level Sponsorships: Elite Physical Therapy and Wellness, Troy United Women’s League, Charlie’s Angels, Stan and Sheila Blankenship, Crowe’s Chicken, Butter and Egg Trading Post, Sanders Lead Company, KW Plastics, Troy Regional Medical Center, Meeks Pest Control, SARHA, OCAP and Charles Henderson Child Health Center.

Each Leadership Pike class sponsors a fundraising event that funds the Leadership Pike scholarship program, which awards a $1,000 scholarship at each of the county’s four high schools.

The scholarships are based on leadership and academic achievement.