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Application Process for MerleFest 2017 Volunteer Program Begins October 1

MerleFest 2017, presented by Window World, will begin accepting online applications for its popular volunteer program on October 1, 2016. MerleFest 2017 will take place April 27-30.

Volunteer applications will be accepted online at www.MerleFest.org/volunteer<http://www.MerleFest.org/volunteer>. Those who prefer a hard copy application may request one by emailing MerleFest.volunteer@wilkescc.edu<mailto:MerleFest.volunteer@wilkescc.edu> or calling 336-838-6262. Anyone who wishes to volunteer should complete an application early because slots fill up quickly. The Volunteer section of the MerleFest website,www.MerleFest.org<http://www.MerleFest.org>, provides additional details about volunteering at MerleFest.image003
With over 800 individuals participating each year, MerleFest volunteers are considered vital to the success of the festival. While some come from the surrounding community to help out, volunteers for the festival also come from all over the world, many of whom make their work at MerleFest an annual event.

An obvious benefit to being a MerleFest volunteer is admittance into the festival; each volunteer receives free entry for each day a shift is worked (usually three to five hours long). Volunteers may work one, two, three or all four days of the festival.

In addition to being an exciting opportunity to experience a world-renowned festival of music, moments and memories up close, the vast network of volunteers who support MerleFest help make the festival a highly successful fundraiser, as well. Because the festival benefits Wilkes Community College, volunteers working on campus get to enjoy the buildings and gardens that the monies raised through MerleFest make possible.

Denna Parsons, the MerleFest volunteer coordinator, urges music fans to consider the MerleFest volunteer program. “Volunteering is a great way to give back. And, it is so much fun to volunteer at MerleFest – you walk on campus and feel the excitement in the air,” says Parsons. “It’s a special homecoming, meeting new friends and seeing old ones that you only see once a year at the festival. At the end of the day, you feel like you have made a difference and been a part of something really big.”

Tickets for MerleFest 2017 go on sale November 17 and may be purchased atwww.MerleFest.org<http://www.MerleFest.org> or by calling 1-800-343-7857. MerleFest offers a three-tiered pricing structure. An Early Bird Tier 1 ticket discount is available starting November 17 through February 12, 2017. An Early Bird Tier 2 ticket discount will run from February 13, 2017, through April 27, 2017. The third price tier will be gate pricing. Fans are encouraged to take advantage of the extended early bird discount.

MerleFest, considered one of the premier music festivals in the country, is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of the son of the late American music legend Doc Watson, renowned guitarist Eddy Merle Watson. MerleFest is a celebration of “traditional plus” music, a unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including old-time, classic country, bluegrass, folk and gospel and blues, and expanded to include Americana, classic rock and many other styles. The festival hosts a diverse mix of artists on its 13 stages during the course of the four-day event. MerleFest has become the primary fundraiser for the WCC Endowment Corporation, funding scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs.

About Window World
Window World, headquartered in North Wilkesboro, N.C., is America’s largest replacement window and exterior remodeling company, with more than 200 locally owned offices nationwide. Founded in 1995, the company sells and installs windows, siding, doors and other exterior products, with a total of over 13 million windows sold to date. Window World is an ENERGY STAR partner, and its window products have earned the Good Housekeeping Seal for nine consecutive years. Additionally, through its charitable foundation Window World Cares, the Window World family provides funding for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where it was named New Corporate Partner of the Year in 2010. Since its inception in 2008, the foundation has raised over $7 million for St. Jude. Window World Inc. also supports the Veterans Airlift Command, a non-profit organization that facilitates free air transportation to wounded veterans and their families. For more information about Window World, visit www.WindowWorld.com<http://www.WindowWorld.com> or call 1-800 NEXT WINDOW. For home improvement and energy efficiency tips, décor ideas and more, follow Window World on Facebook and Twitter.