By Patrick Hurston
Following the completion of its merger with Summit Financial Group last spring, Burke & Herbert wasted no time in demonstrating its commitment to its newest hometown.
On Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, the company presented the McCoy’s Grand board of directors with a $50,000 check, becoming the premiere sponsor of the 98-year-old theater’s new capital campaign.
“A gift of this size is absolutely incredible for McCoy’s Grand Theatre,” said John Brennskag, president of McCoy’s board of directors.
“Burke & Herbert Bank’s generosity brings us significantly closer to our $250,000 target for the ‘Light the Lights! Capital Campaign’, which will allow us to upgrade our aging stage lighting and sound equipment.”
Brennskag said to the best of his knowledge the donation was the largest in the theater’s history since Eunice McCoy gifted the theater itself to the town of Moorefield.
“It’s a remarkable investment in the arts and in our community, and we couldn’t be more grateful,” he said.
Launched last fall, the capital campaign is designed to raise $250,000 for a new lighting and sound system designed to both improve the audience experience, but also to attract additional performers and expand the types of professional performances that can be held in the theater’s space.
Burke & Herbert Executive Vice President and Chief Experience Officer Angie Zirk said the bank is committed to being a valued and trusted community partner in every city in which they operate.
“This gift to McCoy’s reflects the Burke & Herbert Bank Foundation’s dedication to empowering local communities by addressing immediate needs and supporting pivotal projects that deliver swift, positive impact while fostering long-term growth and prosperity,” she said.
Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Company is the oldest continuously operating bank under its original name headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The bank serves many rural communities with its over 75 branches across Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.
“As a community bank, we aim to be a trusted partner, offering essential support to local nonprofits, enabling them to advance meaningful projects without delay,” Zirk said.
“We actively seek and assess opportunities where our involvement can accelerate progress, ensuring that valuable initiatives come to fruition quickly for the benefit of the entire community,” she added.
Zirk said that over the bank’s 170-year history it has dedicated itself to responsible growth and support for local initiatives that “create powerful and positive outcomes.” She said the Foundation’s gift to McCoy’s is part of its ongoing commitment to supporting local non-profit community organizations in Hardy County and Moorefield.
“Strengthening and empowering the Hardy/Moorefield area is important to us, and we will continue to prioritize community engagement and support as a central element of our strategy and goals,” she said. These include “initiatives that address specific needs, encourage long-term success, and drive economic development in the neighborhoods where we live and work.”
Brennskag said the gift comes at a perfect time, just as the theater is recommitted to at least one or two productions a month, pointing to the current concert series happening now through May.
“This donation fuels the excitement and momentum that’s already building at McCoy’s Grand. There’s a renewed sense of energy within the board, and such a substantial contribution reinforces our commitment to making the theater the cultural and performing arts hub of Hardy County and the surrounding region,” he said.
“We’re seeing firsthand how much the community values this space, and that inspires us to work even harder to ensure its success for generations to come.”
Other contributors to the ‘Light the Lights’ campaign to date include Highland Bank Shares with a gift of $10,000, the Hardy County Commission with a grant of $25,000, and a $2,500 contribution from the Stickley family in memory of Betty Stickley, a dedicated board member at the theater who also acted, directed, and mentored in over 20 productions.
Brennskag said the theater remains in discussion with several other organizations, including the Moorefield Town Council, and hopes to pursue a matching grant from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts.
Burke & Herbert’s Zirk hopes the message is clear: “We are here to support you. We are part of this community and have always been an integral part of it; our people are invested in seeing it thrive, and as we grow, our commitment to enriching and strengthening it will only grow.”
“On behalf of the McCoy’s Grand Theatre Board of Directors, I cannot thank Burke & Herbert Bank enough for their generosity. Their support speaks volumes about their dedication to the arts and to the local area,” said Brennskag.
“Burke & Herbert’s commitment ensures that McCoy’s Grand continues to shine as a cornerstone of the arts in our region. We are truly grateful for their belief in our mission and their investment in our theater’s future.”
