​Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® President, Tommy Price, is happy to announce Miss Virginia 2021, Tatum Sheppard, will be making appearances at Festival activities and events. 

Tatum currently resides in Roanoke, VA and obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Liberty University.  She has performed with professional theatre companies in Virginia and Tennessee since graduating from college in 2020. 
Tatum was crowned Miss Virginia in Roanoke on June 19, 2021. As part of her year of service, she makes personal appearances to promote local businesses and non-profits as well as keynote speaking and vocal performances. She also serves as the ABC Spokesperson by promoting healthy choices and substance abuse prevention to students in Virginia’s elementary schools as part of Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority’s Miss Virginia School Tour program.

Tatum is using her platform as Miss Virginia to promote her Social Impact Initiative: Mentoring Matters. As a former Big Sister and Mentor in the BBBS of Central Virginia program, she now partners with all six BBBS agencies across the Commonwealth through fundraising, events, and conferences.

D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) is implementing their program with Miss Virginia, being a trained representative giving youth the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence.  Her advocacy within these three diverse platforms offers schools the opportunity to target the programs that best meet the needs of their students.  

Tickets for Festival events are available at www.thebloom.com/events.

Tommy Price, president of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® welcomes Kara Britz back home to Winchester to serve at the Court Ambassador at the Coronation of Queen Shenandoah XCV, Mia Dorsett.  Kara will be performing at the Coronation and at the Malloy Toyota Country Music Dance.
 
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Kara Lee Britz is the daughter of a musically-gifted mother and a music-loving father.  She is the youngest of three musical children and spent time living in Germany before the family settled down In Winchester, Virginia.  At age 6 Kara began classical piano lessons and sang along to both gospel and contemporary classics.  In typical Kara fashion, she followed her own beat and started drum lessons in the 4th grade! 
 
By age 11, Kara was playing drums and singing in a band called TCC, sponsored by Grove’s Harley-Davidson.  In 2002, her band, Luckie & Almost Country, played the local bars, Harley-Davidson events, and Winchester’s Apple Blossom Festival, even though she was years away from a driver’s license or entry into the clubs where she played.   Kara dedicated her middle school and high school nights and weekends to writing, recording, and cultivating her ability, including happy hours every Friday night at the former Sweet Caroline’s, accompanied by Phil Zuckerman and David Linaburg, throughout her junior and senior years of high school.
 
Growing up in Winchester afforded Kara the best opportunities to hone her craft with the support of a truly encouraging community.  Singing in Elaine Aikens' school choirs from 6th grade at Daniel Morgan Middle School through her senior year before graduating from John Handley High in 2004, gave Kara one of her first “pinch me” moments…the unique opportunity to sing “I’m Sorry” as a special tribute to Brenda Lee at the Coronation in 2001 with Brenda in attendance as the Grand Marshal.  This opened the door to strike up a coveted mentorship with Brenda Lee, all thanks to the Apple Blossom Festival.  Mrs. Aikens and Kara’s late drum teacher, Steve Kastuck, always encouraged and supported Kara and gave her the confidence to continue to be bold in her efforts.  Kara is so thankful for the amazing support the Winchester community continues to lend her to this day. 
 
Two weeks after graduating high school, Kara celebrated her parents’ blessing to move to Los Angeles, and pursue her musical ambitions.  She attended the Musician’s Institute studying voice and quickly found herself singing on major label records and alongside established artists.  Booking her first international tour in 2009 with Japanese mega star, Eikichi Yazawa, Kara began to see how this could become a full-time career.  After returning from Japan, Kara worked for Cher during her Las Vegas Caesar’s Palace Residency and then was hired to join Joe Cocker’s band for his Hard Knock’s World Tour.  She credits Joe for taking her on her first trip around the globe, sharing special memories like performing at the Kremlin Palace, for the Prince of Monaco, the Princess of Morocco, and on hit European shows like Wetten Das, and ultimately singing a duet “You Loved Me Back,” on Joe Cocker’s last studio album ever released. 

"My biggest fans are my family members.  There are things you can only imagine yourself doing, things you wish you could try, and then there are the things that only become possible because of your support group.  All of the little things that stop most people from realizing their dreams were eliminated by my family, and I was given the green light to pursue them.  Little things like rent, food, transportation, clothes, and all of the other things that were required were very unselfishly absorbed by my family.  My brother Corey (bass player for BUSH) was an established musician in LA when I got here, and his experience and support and his knowledge of music were incredibly invaluable to me.  My sister, Kelley, who is literally my very best friend, was in LA as a full-time model and let me live with her and became my LA mother for several years."
 
Following the Joe Cocker tour, Kara was asked to join Paul Mirkovich’s (Cher, Janet Jackson, Pink) house band for NBC’s Hit Show, The Voice.  Since Season 2 (through the recently wrapped Season 21), Kara has served as backing vocalist as well as vocal contractor for the show.  In the last 10 years, Kara has had the privilege to hire over 75 Sag Aftra working LA vocalists to join her on stage backing up each season’s hopeful contestants as well as countless guest performers including some of Kara’s biggest inspirations:  Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Gwen Stefani, Bob Segar, Michael Buble, Sheryl Crow, Christina Aguilera, Pharrell Williams, Adam Levine, CeeLo Green, Shakira, and her idol, Kelly Clarkson. 
 
Working at The Voice opened up the opportunity to contract and/or sing for other television performances including Songland, The Masked Singer, The Grammys, The Oscars, and The Kelly Clarkson Show.  The Voice is also where Kara met Blake Shelton.  Blake hired Kara on the set of The Voice to become a full-time member of his band in 2015.  With Blake, Kara has had the pleasure of performing on some of country’s biggest stages including The Grand Ole Opry, CMA Fest, Academy of Country Music Awards, The Houston Rodeo, and The Grammy’s.  Blake also hired Kara to sing on his Grammy-nominated record, “God’s Country” as well as "Minimum Wage" and his “Blake Shelton Live” album released on Spotify.  With Blake, Kara has had the honor of sharing the stage with top country artists, including Trace Adkins, Martina McBride, Tracy Byrd, The Bellamy Brothers, John Anderson, The Oak Ridge Boys, Luke Bryan, and Little Big Town.
 
 These days you can find Kara anywhere Blake Shelton may be, and she might just pop up unexpectedly! Most recently, Kara was asked to backup Mickey Guyton to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl.  Kara continues to have “pinch me moments” as she enters her 18th year in Los Angeles as a full-time vocalist, and being asked to come home for the Apple Blossom Festival is a HUGE honor for her.  Winchester’s community along with her family is whom Kara credits for molding her into the tenacious, kind-hearted, Christian woman she prides herself in being today. 
 
Kara will be making appearances at many Festival events. The Coronation presented by Morgan Orthodontics will be Friday, April 29, at 1:30 p.m. at Handley High School and the Malloy Toyota Country Music Party is Saturday, April 30, at 8 p.m. at the Tolley Dental Zone located at the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletic and Events Center on the campus of Shenandoah University.  Tickets for all Festival events are available at www.thebloom.com/events.

​Jeff Hammond’s love of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® is equal to that of longtime fans of Bloom Nation. Tommy Price, president of the Festival, is now welcoming Hammond’s return as a speaker at the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast.  Jeff was the Firefighters’ Marshal in 2016.  Jeff says, “Apple Blossom to the spring is what Macy’s Parade is to Christmas."
​
Jeff Hammond joined FOX Sports at the conclusion of the 2000 NASCAR season as an analyst for FOX NASCAR’s inaugural year of MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES coverage, moving over from his duties at Roush Fenway Racing as Kurt Busch’s crew chief.
 
From 2001 to 2013, Hammond served as an analyst for FOX NASCAR SUNDAY, the network’s prerace show at the time, alongside Chris Myers and Darrell Waltrip.  In 2014, he covered stories on pit road, becoming the first former crew chief to serve in that capacity for network television’s NASCAR coverage.
 
In 2006, Hammond received his first Sports Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Sports Person--Studio Analyst. Hammond visited America’s troops serving overseas in Baghdad and Southwest Asia as part of the NFL on FOX’s Thanksgiving Day coverage in 2010 and in Korea as part of the NFL on FOX’s Thanksgiving Day coverage in 2011.  His broadcasting resume includes work for FX, ESPN, Turner, and TNN.  He has co-hosted the nationally syndicated NASCAR Country radio show.
In 2019, Hammond was awarded the prestigious Smokey Yunick Award.  A year later, Jeff was awarded the Fireball Roberts Hard Charger Award.  Hammond may be heard weekly on Performance Racing Network’s “Fast Talk” on Monday evenings and on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “Late Shift” with Brad Gillie on Tuesday evenings.
 
In 1974, at the age of 17, the legendary crew chief began his NASCAR career as a tire changer for Walter Ballard. He transitioned to the role of jack man and served in this capacity for all three of Cale Yarborough’s Cup Series championships before winning the 1981 championship as Darrell Waltrip’s jack man.  In 1982, Hammond took the helm as crew chief for the first time atop the pit box for Waltrip at the pinnacle of the future Hall of Famer’s career.  Together, the pair visited Victory Lane an impressive 43 times, including Waltrip’s 1989 Daytona 500 victory.  Hammond, known as a methodical strategist, was Waltrip’s pit boss for two of his three Cup Series championships (1982 and 1985), and won the 1989 GM Goodwrench Teamwork of Excellence Award.  He retired with 508 races as a crew chief.
 
In 2021, Hammond returned to the Crew Chief ranks as only one of four Crew Chiefs chosen for the inaugural Superstar Racing Experience series.  Hammond would get his first win in this new racing series with driver and eventual series champion, Tony Stewart.
 
Hammond co-owns and operates Pit Training and Instruction (PIT) facility, a 24,000 square foot facility in Mooresville, N.C.  PIT also owns 5 Off 5 On Race Team Performance and specializes in training current NASCAR pit crew members, in addition to assisting aspiring pit crew members gain the skills and knowledge they need to break into and succeed in NASCAR.  Through PIT, Hammond also conducts team-building exercises for corporations and serves as a motivational speaker for several Fortune 500 companies, including ExxonMobil, Northrop Grumman, and O’Reilly Auto Parts.
 
Hammond attended East Carolina University, where he played football.  He resides near Charlotte, N.C., with his family. 

​Jeff will be speaking at the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast at The Tolley Dental Zone in the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics and Events Center at Shenandoah University at 8 a.m. and riding in the Glo Fiber Grand Feature Parade, which steps off at 1:30 p.m. through the streets of historic Winchester. 
 
Tickets for Festival events are available at www.thebloom.com/events.

​Yes, Winchester, there are still Redskins coming to the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®.  Tommy Price, Festival President, is pleased to announce Fred Smoot will be added to the long list of former Redskins who have been part of our springtime celebration.
 
Fred played nine seasons in the NFL for the Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings.  He went to college at Mississippi State University where he played from 1997 to 2000.  He started his junior and senior years, was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection both years, and a consensus first-team All-American as a senior.  He was also a finalist for the Conerly Trophy in 2000.
 
Smoot was drafted by Washington as the 14th pick in the second round (45th pick overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft and immediately formed an impressive duo with Champ Bailey.  Following two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, he returned for a second stint with Washington and helped the team make the playoffs in 2007 and played with the team until 2010.   He played in 129 games and had 21 interceptions, 450 tackles, and 5 forced fumbles.
 
The colorful Smoot, affectionately known as the “Mouth of the South,” was one of the more popular Washington players over the last 20 years.  A funny quote attributed to him is, “2/3rds of the earth is covered by water, the other 1/3 is covered by Fred Smoot.”  Now, Smoot does some work in the media; and, yes, he is a big Washington fan.
 
Smoot co-hosts a podcast with popular D.C. sports personality Chick Hernandez called “That’s Your Opinion” on the Bleav Podcast Network.  It’s an entertaining show that will make you laugh while offering plenty of good football takes.  In addition, he does radio and TV work for CSN, 106.7 The Fan, and NBC. 
 
Smoot will be speaking at Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast at the Tolley Dental Zone inside the James R. Wilkins Jr. Athletic and Events Center on the campus of Shenandoah University on Saturday, April 30, at 8 a.m. and will ride in the Glo Fiber Grand Feature Parade, which kicks off at 1:30 p.m. 
 
Tickets are available at www.thebloom.com/events.

Legendary basketball great of all times, Julius “Dr. J.” Erving, has been named Sports Marshal by Tommy Price, president of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®
 
Julius Winfield Erving, internationally recognized as Dr. J. was the dominant basketball player of his era, and a true innovator who revolutionized the way the game was played. Widely heralded as one of the all-time greats, he is often considered to have been the catalyst for the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.  Erving’s strong leadership skills led his teams to championships in both leagues while his authentically thrilling high-flying style on the court captivated millions of fans from all over the world along the way.  A gracious, dignified, and disciplined man, Erving was an ideal ambassador of the sport.  He was the epitome of class and humility, and no one was more respected both on and off the court. This is the essence of who he is and what he still brings to any role he serves in.
 
Currently serving as founder/managing member of Erving Global Opportunity LLC, Julius brings to the table close to 40 years of experience as a Hall of Fame player, executive and entrepreneur. Erving Global Opportunity (EGO) is engaged in managing the ownership, business development, commercial utilization, merchandising, television, film, social media and philanthropic involvement of the Julius “Dr. J. Erving” brand.  Dating back to 1979, Mr. Erving’s business affiliations have generated close to 2.5 billion dollars in revenues and brand value for his partners and other high-profile clientele.  The overarching business model consists of leveraging the name, likeness, and intellectual property of Mr. Erving primarily through endorsements, personal appearances, strategic partnerships, equity participation, and worldwide licensing programs.
 
Erving holds a degree in business management from The University of Massachusetts, as well as honorary degrees from Temple University and Philadelphia University. He has served on various Boards of Directors including the following: Converse (6 years), Darden Group, (8 years) Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (3 years), Meridian Bank (5 years), Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Commission (3 years), Saks Fifth Avenue (8 years), The Sports Authority (8 years), The University of Massachusetts (2 years), Widener University (1 year) and Williams Communications (4 years).

Erving played professionally for 16 years, having scored 30,026 points in his combined ABA and NBA career, and left as the third highest scorer in professional basketball at the time behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain.  Erving scored more than 22.0 points per game in his 11 NBA seasons with Philadelphia and 28.7 points per game in his 5 ABA seasons with Virginia and New York.  In 1993, Erving was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and was also named to
the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-time team.  In 1994, Erving was named by Sports Illustrated as one of the 40 most important athletes of all time.  In 2017, GQ Magazine selected him as part of the 50 Greatest Living Athletes, a true testament to his staying power of remaining generationally relevant some 30 years after his playing career ended.
 
Erving will be speaking at the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast at the Tolley Dental Zone in the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletic and Events Center on Shenandoah University Campus, on Saturday, April 30 at 8 a.m.    He will then ride in the Glo Fiber Grand Feature Parade, which begins at 1:30 p.m.   Erving’s appearance is being sponsored by Omps Funeral Home and Cremation Center. Tickets to Festival events are available at www.thebloom.com/events.

​Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® president, Tommy Price, has the privilege of naming Dean Cain as Marshal of the Firefighters' Parade and Marshal of the Shenandoah Caverns Heroes' Division in the Glo Fiber Grand Feature Parade.
 
Dean Cain is a multi-faceted, Emmy-winning filmmaker and actor. An All-American football player at Princeton University, he transitioned to film when an injury ended his (NFL) Buffalo Bills career.
 
He starred as Clark Kent/Superman in “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” (4 seasons), produced and hosted “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” (4 seasons) and made well over 100 films, including “Out of Time", “The Broken Hearts Club,” "God’s Not Dead,” “Vendetta,” and “Gosnell.” He co-hosted the Today Show and Fox and Friends in between his numerous film and television projects. He is currently hosting Season 9 of “Masters of Illusion” for the CW and Season 3 of The Christmas Caroler Challenge.  He is completing his feature-film debut, Little Angels, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in and is yet to have a date of release.
 
A strong believer in human rights, Dean received the prestigious Order of Armenia for producing the anti-Genocide documentary film, Architects of Denial.  Dean’s newest documentary, Hate Among Us, just won an Emmy.  Hate Among Us shines a light on the current rise of anti-Semitism throughout the United States and Europe.
 
A single father and a staunch supporter of our military and first responders, Dean is honored to serve as a sworn Sheriff’s Deputy in Frederick County, Virginia, and a Reserve Police Officer in Pocatello, Idaho. Dean also serves on the Board of Directors for the NRA. In Dean’s own words, “real heroes don’t wear capes, they wear uniforms and stethoscopes and badges.”
 
Dean will be honoring real heroes at the Firefighters' Rodeo, the Coronation of Queen Shenandoah XCV, and leading the Firefighters' Parade on Friday, April 29, at 5:30 p.m. On Saturday, April 30, he will serve as the Marshal of the Shenandoah Caverns Heroes' Division in the Glo Fiber Grand Feature Parade honoring the dedicated essential workers during COVID.

​Tommy Price, president of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® announces with pleasure that Tony Dorsett will be returning to the Festival for his third visit, this time as Father of Queen Shenandoah XCV, Mia Dorsett.  Additionally, Dorsett will be a guest speaker at the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast.  Tony was first a sports guest in 1985 as the outstanding, leading rusher for the Dallas Cowboy.  During our 85th Festival in 2012, he proudly crowned his daughter, Jazmyn, “Jazz”, as Queen Shenandoah LXXXV.   
 
Anthony “Tony” Dorsett was born to Wes and Myrtle Dorsett on April 7, 1954, in Rochester, Pennsylvania. When his parents moved to be near the Jones and Laughlin Steel Mill in Aliquippa when Tony was young, they hoped at least one of their seven children would reach beyond the town's limits.  Tony was the one who did. He had visions that went beyond the steel gray hue of the Western Pennsylvania projects that he called home.
 
While Tony was still attending Hopewell High School in Aliquippa, his coach made a wise decision to switch him from linebacker to running back. Dorsett gained 1,034 yards as a junior in high school, and his record of excellence continued unabated when he moved on to college at the University of Pittsburgh.
 
Dorsett's record with the Panthers was legendary. He was named to an All-America team as a freshman and again as a junior and senior. Playing under Coach Johnny Majors, Dorsett became the first college back to rush for 1,000 or more yards all four seasons and the first to gain more than 1,500 yards for three years. As a Senior, he had his best season rushing for 1,948 yards and 21 touchdowns.
He crowned a brilliant collegiate career by being named All-American four times and winning the coveted Heisman Trophy in 1976. He is considered one of the greatest running backs in college football history. 

​In the 1977 draft, the Dallas Cowboys were quick to select Tony in the first round. He won consensus rookie of the year honors in helping Dallas win Super Bowl XII. Tony is one of the top ten all-time leading rushers in the NFL. In 1982, Tony captured his first NFC rushing title and established an unbreakable NFL record by racing 99 yards from scrimmage for a touchdown.
 
Tony served as team captain in '81, '82 and '84. He was voted to the Pro Bowl in '78, '81, '82 and '83. In 1981 he earned consensus All-Pro honors and was named NFC Player of the Year by UPI. In a 1979 Gallup Youth Survey of American teenagers' favorite sports personalities, Tony finished second to Roger Staubach.
 
1994 was a banner year for Tony. He was inducted into the prestigious Dallas Cowboys’ Ring of Honor, the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
 
Tony lives with wife Janet in the Dallas area and has three beautiful daughters and a son, Anthony, who also played in the NFL. Tony is involved in many community activities and charities in Dallas, including ALS, March of Dimes, Minnie’s Food Pantry and the Tony Evans Ministry. Tony also supports the McGuire Memorial Foundation in Pittsburgh, a facility for handicapped children and Minnie’s Food Pantry.
 
The Coronation of Queen Shenandoah presented by Morgan Orthodontics will be held at Handley High School on Friday, April 29, at 1:30 p.m.  The Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast will be on Saturday, April 30, at 8 a.m. at the Tolley Dental Zone inside the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletic and Events Center located on the campus of Shenandoah University.
 
Tickets for Festival events are available at www.thebloom.com/events.
 
NOTABLE HONORS
               Four Time NCAA All American
               First Player in NCAA History with 4 - 1,000 Yard Seasons and 3 - 1,500 Yard Seasons
               1976 Heisman Trophy
               NFL Rookie of the Year 1977
               NFL All Pro
               Four Time Pro Bowl Player
               12 Year Career Only Missed Six Games
               2nd All-Time Leading Rusher in post season play - 1,383 yards
               2nd All-Time NFL Rusher at time of retirement
               Hold NFL record for longest run from the line of scrimmage 99 yards in ‘83 against Minnesota
               Two NFL Super Bowls XII-1978; XIII-1979
               5 NFC Championship Games
               Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor 1994
               College Football Hall of Fame 1994
               NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame 1994 first year of eligibility
 
COMMUNITY SERVICE   
               Easter Seals
               Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Denver
               Cancer Foundation
               American Heart Association
               Muscular Dystrophy
               United Negro College Fund
               Make a WISH Foundation
               United Way
               Special Olympics
               McGuire Memorial Home
               Minnie’s Food Pantry

Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival ® President, Tommy Price, is delighted to announce that Terry Bradshaw, NFL Hall of Famer and four-time Super Bowl winning quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers will serve as Grand Marshal of the 2022 glofiber Grand Feature Parade.

Terry Bradshaw is widely acknowledged as today’s preeminent NFL studio personality, serving in a dual role as co-host of FOX NFL SUNDAY and THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL pre-game analyst.  Bradshaw has been with FOX NFL SUNDAY since its inception in 1994, and his work on America’s most-watched NFL pregame show for 26 consecutive years earned him three Sports Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Sports Personality/Analyst category in 1999, 2001 and 2008. Super Bowl LIV was Bradshaw’s ninth championship assignment for FOX, his 12th as a broadcaster and his 16th overall, including as a player. In 2018, Bradshaw took on the new responsibility of hosting THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL’s pregame and halftime shows live from New York with Howie Long and Michael Strahan. FOX NFL SUNDAY was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Broadcasting Hall of Fame in April 2019. 

Bradshaw joined CBS Sports as an NFL game analyst in 1984 and became a studio analyst on “The NFL Today” for four seasons beginning in 1990. During his last two years as an NFL game analyst for CBS, Bradshaw served in an acclaimed partnership with play-by-play announcer Verne Lundquist. Prior to his fulltime work for the network, he served as a guest commentator for CBS Sports’ NFC postseason broadcasts (1980-82). He appeared as a contributor on “Super Bowl Today” programs for Super Bowls XVI, XXIV and XXVI.

The first player chosen in the 1970 draft, Bradshaw became one of the most prolific quarterbacks in history, leading the Steelers to four Super Bowl championships, six AFC championship games and eight straight playoff appearances (1972-79). Bradshaw, a two-time Super Bowl MVP (Super Bowls XIII and XIV), was a four-time All-Pro. He retired just prior to the 1984 season.

Bradshaw was at his best in postseason games. Under his direction, Pittsburgh enjoyed Super Bowl championships in 1975 (16-6 over Minnesota), 1976 (21-17 over Dallas), 1979 (35-31 over Dallas) and 1980 (31-19 over the Los Angeles Rams), making him a perfect 4-0 in Super Bowl play. In those four outstanding performances, he completed 49 of 84 attempted passes—nine for touchdowns—for 932 yards (third all-time), with just three interceptions. He still holds the Super Bowl passing record for average gain in a game (14.71 yards in Super Bowl XIV vs. Los Angeles, in which he completed 21 passes for 309 yards). Bradshaw was named NFL Player of the Year by the Associated Press, “Sport Magazine” and the Maxwell Club of Philadelphia following the 1978 season. In 1979, he shared Sports Illustrated’s Man of the Year Award with Willie Stargell of the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1989, Bradshaw was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. In July 1997, he returned to Canton, Ohio, to serve as presenter when the late Mike Webster, his center on the Steelers’ four Super Bowl title teams, was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In April 2001, Bradshaw added yet another prestigious distinction when he was presented with the NFL Alumni’s Career Achievement Award.

In addition to his broadcasting career, Bradshaw has appeared in several feature films, including the romantic comedy “Failure to Launch,” “Hooper” and “Cannonball Run,” and guest-starred on the television series “Las Vegas,” “Married with Children,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Eight Simple Rules,” “Evening Shade,” “Hardcastle and McCormick,” THE SIMPSONS and THE ADVENTURES OF BRISCO COUNTY, JR. on FOX. Bradshaw has written five books: his acclaimed autobiographies, “Keep it Simple” (2002), “It’s Only A Game” (2001) and “Looking Deep” (1989); “Terry Bradshaw: Man of Steel” (1979); and “No Easy Game” (1973). He is also the star of his own reality show, “The Bradshaw Bunch” which is premiering in fall of 2020 on E! Entertainment.

He was named 1999’s Man of the Year by the Big Sisters of America and 2000’s Father of the Year by the National Father’s Day Council, and in 2002 he became the NFL’s first player to receive a Star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Bradshaw currently lives in Oklahoma, with his wife, Tammy. He has three daughters, Rachel, Lacey and Erin.

INSIDERS NOTE:    Terry Bradshaw was scheduled to be Grand Marshal at the 2020 Apple Blossom Festival and recommitted for 2021.  The Grand Feature Parades were cancelled both years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Best chances for the public to see Terry Bradshaw:  He will make an appearance at Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast on Saturday, April 30 at 8:00 am at the Tolley Dental Zone at the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center on the campus of Shenandoah University.  He will be leading the glofiber Grand Feature Parade at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 30.    Ticketing and Festival information are available at www.thebloom.com.   

Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® President, Tommy Price, is very pleased to announce that Mia Jenelle Dorsett has accepted the role of Queen Shenandoah XCV-Designate for the 2022 Festival.  Mia is the youngest daughter of Janet and Tony Dorsett.  She is an eighteen-year-old first-year student at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. Although she is part of an athletic family, Mia has found her passion in the arts. Musical theatre is her first love, and she is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre at TCU. She is the recipient of a four-year TCU Chancellor’s Scholarship, the most prestigious scholarship awarded at TCU.
 
Mia's stage debut began at the age of 10, and she has been part of over 20 productions to this date.  Mia has a very strong work ethic and strives to always do her best in all things.  In high school, she was recognized as a Duke University TIP scholar and was inducted into both junior and senior National Honor Societies and served as secretary for the junior group. Mia was a member of her high school’s honor choir and was chosen as an TPSMEA All State musician.  During her freshman year of high school, she served in student government as a class representative. Mia is also a former member of the International Thespian Society Troupe 6605 and has twice performed at ITS nationals in Lincoln, Nebraska. She continues to strengthen her work ethic in college by being involved in many different organizations at TCU. Just in her first year, Mia has been a part of Leaders for Life, Theatre TCU Black Excellence, Frog Aides, and is a proud member of her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta.
 
Since the age of 6, Mia has spent a week during the summer at Sky Ranch Christian camp in Van, Texas. Her last year of camp, she spent two weeks in Colorado at their Sigma camp, which provides a deeper focus on faith and beliefs. She has been honored to sing the national anthem at their annual fundraising gala several times. Mia has a true servant's heart and desires to be the hands and feet of Jesus. She has been blessed to serve as the 2022 service director for her sorority and hopes to continue finding ways to serve while in school. Before college, in the midst of all of her preparations for the next level of theatre, Mia found the time to travel to share the love of Christ through mission trips to orphanages in Chiapas, Mexico and the Dominican Republic and villages in Sri Lanka. She also spent eight days traveling with her choir's student ministry group in and around London, England performing and spreading the Gospel.
 
Mia is so grateful to be chosen as the next Queen and to follow in the steps of her sister, Jazmyn Dorsett, Queen Shenandoah LXXXV.  She is delighted to be a part of such an incredible tradition and looks forward to a great weekend in the Shenandoah Valley. The Dorsett family, including Tony and Janet, will accompany Mia during the 2022 Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival ®.  Mia was designated to be Queen in 2020 but did not reign due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
Queen Shenandoah XCV will be attending the The Village at Orchard Ridge Queen’s Dinner at 5 p.m. on April 28, at Millwood Station.  Her Coronation will be held at John Handley High School at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 29.  Mia will make appearances at various Festival events throughout the weekend, including the Firefighters’ Parade on Friday, April 29 at 5:30 p.m. and the glofiber Grand Feature Parade on Saturday, April 30 at 1:30 p.m.  Ticketing and Festival information are available at www.thebloom.com. 

The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® will honor six individuals who have had a lasting impact on sports across our region.  The inaugural class includes the following: 

Russ Potts
Russ Potts created the Apple Blossom Festival Sports Breakfast along with Dick Kern in 1965. Former Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey was the very first sports celebrity to attend the Sports Breakfast.

Potts is a member of 6 Hall of Fames: National College Sports Marketing Hall of Fame, Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, Handley High School Judges Athletic Association Hall of Fame, Potomac State College Hall of Fame, Shenandoah University Hall of Fame and the University of Maryland Phi Delta Theta Fraternity Hall of Fame

Russ is a former Executive Director of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®, serving from 1969 to 1970.  During his tenure he moved the Grand Feature Parade from Friday to Saturday attracting 86 bands in 1969 & 92 bands in 1970.

Potts was elected eight times to the Virginia State Senate from 1992-2008. He served as Chairman of the Senate’s Education & Health Committee.

Russ was the first Sports Marketing Director in the history of college athletics at the University of Maryland.  He was also the Director of Athletics at SMU. During his tenure, both universities set all time average attendance increase records-the only time in NCAA history.

Potts served as Vice President of Marketing for the Chicago White Sox.

Russ Potts headed up the capital campaign for the Handley High School renovation and creation of the Emil & Grace Shihadeh Innovation Center. Russ helped the school raise over $22M for both projects.

Over his career, Russ has staged, promoted, or organized over 1,000 athletic events.  He created the first Women’s College Basketball game on national television - Immaculata vs. Maryland in 1976, created the first Men’s College Basketball primetime television package, and organized the famous Georgetown vs. Virginia game featuring the battle of the 7 footers – Patrick Ewing vs Ralph Sampson which was televised on national TV.

Dick Kern
Dick Kern and Russ Potts were the Co-Chairmen of the very first Sports Breakfast featuring Jack Dempsey in 1965.

Dick passed away on October 1, 2020 at 100 years old and is represented by his grandson, Trey, Owner / Operator of Kern Motor Company. Both Trey and Dick’s son Rick were outstanding athletes at Handley. All three are members of the Judges Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

Kern was one of the founders of the Judges Athletic Association – one of the nation’s most successful high school booster associations. Dick is a past President of the JAA.

Dick was an outstanding athlete having starred at Handley High School as a quarterback in the single wing offense and later at Virginia Tech as the starting defensive halfback and linebacker.

Kern won the Williams Award as the outstanding senior football player in 1941 and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was unable to pursue an NFL career because of serving in World War II.

Dick was a highly decorated war hero in the U.S. Army during WWII and one of the youngest company commanders in the nation with over 300 men under his command.

Dick created Kern Motor Company, the longest standing automotive agency in Winchester / Frederick County.

Kern served with distinction as Vice Mayor, Chairman of the City Finance Committee, and Councilman-serving for over 20 years.

Dick Kern will always be known as an outstanding community leader and philanthropist.

Walter Barr
Walter Barr’s coaching career bridged five decades.  Barr was a two-sport athlete at Shepherd University where he played football and baseball.  He graduated from Shepherd College in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science and received his master’s degree from James Madison University in 1970.

Walter’s teaching experience spanned from 1962 to 1998.  He taught at James Wood High School, Loudoun County High School, Broad Run High School, Sherando High School, and Lord Fairfax Community College.

Barr began his coaching career at James Wood High School where he was an assistant football coach and head track coach from 1962 to 1967.  In 1967, Coach Barr became the head football coach at James Wood and coached until 1971 where he went on to be the head football coach at Shepherd University until 1986.  In 1994, Barr became the first head coach of Sherando High School.  In 1999, Barr was asked to conduct a football program feasibility study for Shenandoah University which later turned into a head football coaching position with the University.  Coach Barr returned to James Wood High School in 2005 and turned around a program that had not had a winning record in 26 years.  Coach Barr concluded his coaching career with 210 wins, 94 losses and 5 ties.  

Coach Barr has one of the most decorated football coaching records in the region.

1966-1971 James Wood High School (38-2-1)
2 undefeated teams
Virginia AAA State Champions 1970

1971-86 Shepherd University (104-48-4)
3 WVIAC Championships
NAIA National Play-offs 1985

1990-1991 Loudoun County High School (5-5)

1994-1997 Sherando High School (38-13)
State Play-Offs (3 years)

2000-2001 Shenandoah University (9-11)
Start-up program

2005-2007 James Wood High School (16-15)

Barr has been induced into the NAIA Hall of Fame, Shepherd College Hall of Fame, Clarke County Athletic Hall of Fame,James Wood Athletic Hall of Fame and will soon be inducted into the Shenandoah University Hall of Fame in 2022 (postponed due to COVID.)Walter Barr is a 3-time WVIAC Coach of the Year and 4-time Winchester Star Coach of the Year.  In 2016 he received the Richard C. Shickle Award and in 2019 was bestowed the honor of having the James Wood High School Football Field named after him.
Coach Barr has been published in The American Football Coaches Guidebook to Championship Football Drills by Jerry R. Tolley 1984 and hosted many football coaches’ clinics while he was at Shepherd University and Shenandoah University.

Paul Wendell "Wendell" Dick
Last year, on Friday, December 4, 2020, our community said goodbye to a beloved individual and friend to many.  To many of us, Wendell was the face of James Wood High School athletics even after his retirement in 1991.

Wendell grew up in Frederick County, VA and went to James Wood High School (5-12 grades) when it opened in 1950. He graduated in 1958. Dick was recognized as James Wood’s “Outstanding Male Athlete.” While in high school, he was 1stteam District 10 basketball player, earned 14 Varsity letters, and participated in football, basketball, baseball, and track. He was one of the first James Wood High School graduates to have perfect attendance for all 12 years of schooling.

In 1958, Wendell enrolled at Potomac State Junior College in Keyser, WV, on a basketball scholarship where he led the team in free-throw shooting for two years.In 1960, he entered West Virginia University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education. He was a goalie on the WVU men’s soccer team and earned his MS Degree in Health and Safety. After graduating, he joined the Army National Guard in Winchester. While in Basic Training in Fort Jackson, he was selected as the “Outstanding Trainee” and was catcher of their undefeated softball team.Wendell enjoyed playing for a traveling semi-professional basketball team and fast pitch softball.  Wendell was a Cross-County and Track Official for 50 years (1960-2010). For many years, he was also a “Color Commentator” for 92.5 WINC-FM Sports with Joe Pasquali.
Wendell held lifetime memberships in the James Wood Athletic Association, the Potomac State College Alumni Association, the West Virginia University Alumni Association, the Virginia Retired Teachers Association, and the Greenwood Fire and Rescue Company Association.

For several years, he served as Co-Director of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival Sports Breakfast.

In 1990, Wendell was inducted into the Fast-Pitch Softball Hall of Fame and in 2000, James Wood High Schooled honored Wendell by establishing the P. Wendell Dick Athletic Hall of Fame.  

Russ Potts will accept the award on behalf of the Wendell Dick family.

Ken Mease
If you have attended the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast over the years, you will know that Ken Mease cherished the opportunity to visit and participate in the Shenandoah Apple Blossom. Ken began attending the Festival in 1999 where he emceed the Sports Breakfast.  There were only two years between 1999 and 2017 where he was not able to participate in our annual celebration. In addition to emceeing the Sports Breakfast, Ken spoke at the Festival’s Ladies Horticultural Luncheon and served as the Court Ambassador for the Coronation of Queen Shenandoah. In 2018, the Festival recognized Ken by presenting him with a life pass to the sports breakfast.   Ken returned to celebrate the Festival with us in 2019 but did not emcee the breakfast that year.  Ken loves the Festival and continually went out of his way to support the Festival in many ways.

Ken Mease has had a tremendous career in sports television and radio in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast region of the US for over five decades.

Ken grew up in Selinsgrove, PA and graduated from Selinsgrove Area Joint High School in 1960. In high school, Mease played basketball and baseball, was band president and served as Lt. Governor and International Trustee in Key Club International. After graduating from high school, Ken attended Susquehanna University from 1960 to 1964.  During college, Mease worked part-time for WKOK-AM-FM as a disc jockey, news, and sports reporter.

In 1963, Ken worked for WUNS-AM in Lewisburg, PA as an announcer and color commentator for Bucknell University Football for their ’64 and ’65 seasons.

Ken joined the Pennsylvania Air National Guard in 1965 where he completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX.  He attended tech school as a communications specialist at Shepherd Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, TX.  Ken completed his Guard commitment in 1971.

Between 1965 and 1975, Ken continued his work in communications at radio and television stations in Harrisburg, PA, Charlotte, NC, Pittsburgh, PA, and Providence, RI.  While in Providence, Mease anchored sports six days a week and was recognized in 1973 with the Rhode Island Sportscaster of the Year award from the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

In 1975, Ken served as Director of Athletics for Robert Morris College (now University.)  Ken was instrumental in the University’s leap from junior college status to NCAA Division I.  Ken did play-by-play of Colonials basketball for three seasons, coached the school’s basketball team for one season. While at Robert Morris, Mease laid the groundwork for the school’s Sports Management program.

In 1979, Ken went back to news television as a sports anchor and weekday reporter in Pittsburgh, PA.  Ken was awarded two Golden Quill Awards (the Pittsburgh Emmy) for the “Steeler Monday” sports feature.

From 1986 to 2003, Ken was the sports anchor and reporter for WUSA-TV in Washington, DC.  Ken primarily worked as the station’s weekend sports anchor with weekday reporting duties. Ken covered Sunday night sports specials including Redskin shows. Mease also freelanced where he covered Navy Football radio and George Mason TV basketball play-by-play.

From 2003 to 2010, Mease joined CBS-Westwood One Sports Radiosportscasting including Redskins post game.

In 2010 Ken joined the Washington Freedom, an American professional women’s soccer club in Germantown, Maryland.

Rodney Cowley will accept the award on behalf of Ken Mease.

Tommy Dixon
Born in Winchester, VA, Tommy is the second youngest of seven children to Rachel and Clark Dixon.   Dixon attended first through seventh grades at Douglas School.  After integration, Tommy attended Handley High School from eighth through twelfth grades.  While at Handley, Tommy was a three-sport athlete, playing football, basketball and track and field.  He was voted 2nd team All-State in football and basketball.   After high school, Dixon studied health and physical education at Potomac State College in Keyser, WV and Berea College in Berea, KY.  

During Tommy’s tenure, he coached football, track and field, and basketball.  Tommy coached football at Daniel Morgan Middle School for nine years where his team only lost two games and had one tie; the rest were wins.  Dixon was an assistant track and field coach when Handley won several state championships.  Tommy coached basketball for 36 years and compiled a record of 403-228.  Tommy coached his teams to nine regular season championships, 10 regional appearances, 3 regional championships, and 6 state tournament berths.  Coach Dixon was also recognized several times as Coach of the Year at the District and Regional level.  Tommy also was selected to coach in the state all-star game in 2000.

In 2001, Coach Dixon was inducted into Handley’s Hunter Maddex Hall of Fame and the Potomac State College Hall of Fame in 2010.  On Saturday evening, December 17, 2016, during a boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball game inside Handley’s Maddex-Omps Gymnasium, the school announced that the basketball court would forever be known as the Coach Tommy Dixon Basketball Court.