The TRC Foundation will honor the memory of one of its own for a second time when it hosts another lip synching contest at Shawbucks on Friday, Aug. 19.

The event will serve as a fundraiser for the Mark Pacheco WOW Fund, which was established by the TRC Foundation in 2010 following the death of Pacheco, an employee of The Resource Center, at age 38 earlier that year as a result of an altercation in downtown Jamestown. It is being coordinated by Marcos Figueroa, a personal friend of founder of the Mark Pacheco WOW Fund, who said the money raised will go toward making wishes come true for disabled community members.

“I knew Mark since we were both little kids and I knew he loved his job, so I began this fund in his name to help our individuals while doing something fun,” Figueroa said. “So what we do is raise money to send those with developmental disabilities somewhere they’ve always wanted to go – whether it be to a concert or professional sports event or just on a trip to places like New York City or Niagara Falls. All they have to do is fill out an application; we’re never going to deny them.”

Figueroa said he conceived of hosting a lip synching contest last year to raise money for the fund, partly due to Pacheco’s love of karaoke and partly because it’s a unique concept to the area. He said the reception to last year’s contest was overwhelmingly positive, leading him to coordinate a follow-up event this year.

“It was wall-to-wall with people last time, and we had nine contestants; so it’s a pretty big thing,” he said. “We also already have nine contestants lined up for this year and we are still accepting a few more. People can sign up in advance by calling me or at the event itself, but they’d better show up ready to lip sync because these people go all out; they want to win.”

Prizes will be awarded to the top three performances, which will be determined by a panel of five judges that partially consists of guest performers Fantasee Island and Veronica Lace. The first-place prize is $250 and a trophy while the second- and third-place finishers will receive $100 and $50, respectively.

Tickets are $5 presale and $7 at the door. A Chinese auction will also be held during the event. There is a $20 registration fee for contestants.

Figueroa said he was assisted in coordinating the event by Victoria Bardo, Cindy Phillips and Steven Waterson. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the show begins at 9:30 p.m.

Shawbucks is located at 212 W. Second St. in Jamestown. For more information, or to purchase tickets, contact Figueroa at 951-6118. Additional information on the event can also be found on Facebook.

To learn more about the TRC Foundation, visit trc-foundation.org.