The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors recognized the Emily Marie Bivens Memorial Foundation at its October 17 business meeting. Riley Jo Bivens created the music scholarship to honor Blake Bivens’ wife, Emily Marie Bivens.

Emily’s passion and gift for music and her desire to share it with future generations is why the foundation and scholarship program was started in 2022. Donations to the Foundation fund a one-year scholarship, which covers one one-on-one instruction as well as a keyboard.

The foundation has two instructors and five students in the program this year. The Board of Supervisors donated $1,000 to the Foundation, and no tax dollars were used for this contribution.