OARS Community Care Team Meets
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The OARS Community Care Team recently met
at Ermilio's Restaurant in Eureka Springs to make plans for the OARS
booth at the County Fair the beginning of September. Left to right
around the table: Greg Hines, Helen Smith, Lieu Smith, Brian Watson,
Alice Martinson, Carole Sturgis, and Neta Sue Stamps. |
Employees of First National Bank of
Berryville
Contribute $1,255 to OARS
Adam Plagge, (left), with First National Bank of Berryville, presented
a $1,255 check to Ozarks AIDS Resources and Services (OARS),
represented here by its Executive Director Carole Sturgis and OARS
Medical Director Dr. Charles Horton. Adam said the donation
represented money employees set aside whenever they wear jeans on
Wednesday. Every quarter, he said, they donate to a local non-profit
and this time it was OARS.
Heartland Men's Chorus
Performs in Eureka Springs,
Raises $19,000 to Benefit OARS
On Saturday, March 12, Carroll County had the pleasure of experiencing
a concert that was both moving and inspiring. Performing as a
benefit concert to raise funds for OARS, the Heartland Men's Chorus
from Kansas City, Missouri, traveled to Eureka Springs and captured
the hearts of the residents of Eureka Springs, Berryville and
surrounding communities. And $19,000 was raised for OARS in the
process!
The Chorus paid for EVERYTHING except their dinner, incidental office
supplies, and local advertising. They paid for all the expenses
incurred from renting the Auditorium including tech support, printing
the tickets and the posters and the postcards, trips down here
pre-concert by various members to check on facilities and details,
housing for everyone at the Land O Nod, transportation for all their
members by bus from/to Kansas City, breakfast Sunday at Inn of the
Ozarks, etc., etc., etc.
Everything raised
as a result of the concert stays right here in Carroll County to
continue the work of OARS. Heartland even sold tickets on their web
site and sent all that income directly to OARS.
In a letter to Carole
Sturgis, OARS Executive Director, and the OARS Board of Directors, Rick Fisher, Executive
Director of Heartland Men's Chorus, writes about the concert
experience in Eureka Springs:
"...the most successful outreach program that we have
undertaken."
"...a spectacular evening that was positively magical!"
"I heard one of our members, who has sung with us for 16 years,
say that the concert in Eureka Springs was the highlight of
his HMC experience."
"...this tour will be a high point in a year full of milestone
achievements."
"...we're all looking forward to returning to Eureka Springs."
"Thank you for providing us with the opportunity to use our
voices and musical message to support the important work that OARS
does in Carroll County."
More Reviews & Accolades
from Emails, Facebook & Online Comments sent to OARS:
-- "Fantastic evening!!!... OARS scored again!"
-- "Loved the concert in Eureka Springs, one of the
best gay men's group I've heard. Thanks go to the Heartland Men's Chorus
for coming to Eureka and donating your time and talents for OARS."
-- "The chorus was as impressed with the Eureka
Springs audience as much as the audience was impressed with the
chorus. Afterwards, members of the chorus told me they had never
experienced such an enthusiastic--and emotional--response."
-- "One very moving and spontaneous moment came when
the chorus was singing 'I Will Stand With You' and one by one audience
members began to rise from their seats until the entire house was
standing. By the end of the number, some of the singers on stage
were wiping tears from their eyes."
-- "Throughout the performance, the applause was
thunderous and I lost track of the number of standing ovations."
-- "It's worth noting the chorus paid for its own
travel expenses and lodging and left the proceeds from the evening
right here in the community."
-- "It was an amazing night in Eureka Springs.
So happy to have shared the experience with many wonderful people!"
-- "I was in the audience last night and HMC
delivered a beautiful, entertaining, and moving performance. The
concert made me smile, clap, cry, and most importantly, made me proud.
You say, 'Our voices enlighten, inspire, heal, and empower.' So true,
so true! Thanks for coming to Eureka Springs and thanks for
supporting OARS. Hope you come back soon."
-- "I believe we were looking into angel faces last
night--the radiance was blinding and had me awe-struck. Thank
you for the wonderful evening in Eureka Springs last night."
OARS Volunteers
had the joy of feeding members of the Chorus
before the concert
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Clinic
Director Dr. Charles Horton received a DVD and a CD of music and
a performance by the Heartland Men's Chorus. |
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