Eren Tataragasi

Richmond County Daily Journal

Bucky Covington is coming home.

The American Idol finalist and Richmond County native will return to Rockingham next week to help out a program to help the hungry. And while he’s here, he’ll perform center stage at Harrington Square on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m.

The concert is open to the public, and free, but Covington asks those attending to bring canned goods and other non perishables to help out BackPack Pals and Our Daily Bread food ministry.

“Bucky is really excited about the opportunity to come home to Rockingham and give back to all the people and the community that have supported him over the years,” said Cindy Heath, publicity director with Lyric Street Records.

Covington was unavailable for comment Tuesday due to the death of his grandmother, Sarah Shoe Covington, earlier this week.

Rockingham Mayor Gene McLaurin said this concert has been in the works for nearly a year.

“I went to see Bucky perform at the state fair last year and had dinner with him, and his brother Rocky, before the show,” McLaurin said. “Bucky was very eager to schedule this. He was very eager to come back.”

McLaurin said this will be a treat to Covington fans and Rockingham residents because the last time Covington was home for his “Welcome Home Bucky Day” he was unable to perform because of contractual obligations with American Idol.

“It’s an exciting time for all of us,” McLaurin said. “We look forward to having him downtown. We need to have a big crowd in town that night to welcome Bucky home. This is a worthwhile local organization that will receive help because of his performance. BackPack Pals is a wonderful program.”

Pastor Steve Crews with BackPack Pals said Convington’s visit will be a big help to the organization.

Last year the program provided 325 backpacks of food each week to students in Richmond County’s elementary and primary schools. The program is dedicated to providing food for children who likely don’t receive much food during the weekend. These are often the same students who receive free or reduced-price breakfast and lunches at school.

Crews said this year, it looks like those numbers will go up. Since it began in 2007, BackPack Pals has increased its numbers every year. When the program began they served only 38 children.

The Friday Covington arrives in town, he’ll assist BackPack Pals volunteers in loading up the students’ backpacks.

Crews said food items the program could use include things like fruit cups, pudding cups, Campbell’s soup, fruit roll-ups, little boxes of cereal, pop top cans of Beanie Weenies, cups of apple sauce and granola bars.

“Any of that would be good,” Crews said.

Crews said he’s hopeful the concert downtown will bring in lots of food donations, and added that the exposure from Covington’s visit will hopefully bring in some funding for the organization as well.

Our Daily Bread is equally excited to have Covington home.

“I think it’s wonderful he’s coming back to support Richmond County,” said Debbie Rohleder, director of Our Daily Bread. “We are going through a hard time and it’s nice to know a native son is still thinking about us. He comes from a fine family, and we’re all very proud of him.

Rohleder said the food bank is in need of any non perishable foods, especially vegetables.

Since becoming an American Idol finalist in 2006, Covington has released one record, gone on tour, and is in the process of recording his second album. To find out more about what Covington has been up to since reaching stardom, visit his Web site at www.buckycovington.com.