Special to 1831Galion
The First United Church of Christ, 248 Harding Way West, Galion, is hosting the second of the series of Charity Cause Benefit Concerts on Sunday, November 26 at 6:00 PM.
The Concert will feature the partner in these concerts, the Shawshank Big Band led by Damian Boyd. The free will donation will be split between the Galion Kiwanis “Kids Christmas Fund” and a special offering for the Tuscarawas Valley School District. The TV District is the district that had the recent tragic bus crash.
These concerts are part of the Galion First United Church of Christ outreach music program. The church is having monthly concerts featuring the Shawshank Big Band. Each concert will benefit one or more charities. The First UCC has as part of its mission to take an active role in supporting those in need in the community.
The Kiwanis “Kids Christmas Fund” is an annual fund drive held by the Galion Kiwanis Club to provide Christmas gifts and needed clothing for children up to 10 years of age. The Galion Kiwanis coordinated the distribution with the Crawford County Community Action organization. “At this time, we have at least 91 children identified as needing help this Christmas”, said Brian Treisch, president of the Galion Kiwanis. “We need the help of the community to support this effort.”
The Shawshank Big Band plays the great big band music of the Swing Era and features talented musicians from throughout north central Ohio. The Shawshank Band is part of Mid Ohio Jazz Orchestra, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization formed to preserve the live performance of the music from the Swing Era and to perpetuate the art form through education. Donations to the organization may be tax deductible.
Normally, the concert proceeds are divided between the specific charity and the band, but in this special instance, the band is forgoing its portion in light of the tragic event in eastern Ohio. A band member said, “We are always glad to help with a local charity and support our band, but for this concert and the special circumstances, we are more than willing to forgo our portion.”
The concert is a swing band concert. Audience members are urged to enjoy the great sounds of the Swing Era. “We hope that a good crowd comes to enjoy this music, dance if they want, and donate generously to these two very worthwhile causes,” said Kiwanis president Treisch.
The next Charity Benefit concert will be January 28, 2024 at the First UCC Church. The group benefiting from this concert is MOMS, a mother’s group providing care packages to members of the Armed Forces.
