Event benefits Folds of Honor
Tammye Nash | Managing Editor
nash@dallasvoice.com
Theresa Wade Hughes, currently employed with the Federal Aviation Administration and retired from the U.S. military, will be narrator tonight (Friday, June 29) for “The Dream Goes On,” a concert by Resounding Harmony to benefit Folks of Honor.
The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at United Methodist Church of Preston Hollow, 6315 Walnut Hill Lane. Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for children ages 10-13 and free for those under 10.
Folds of Honor is a nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to spouses and children of America’s fallen and disabled service-members. Mark Knight, board chair for Resounding Harmony, said that to honor the organization’s mission, tonight’s concert will feature “a mix of songs, but it does have a patriotic slant.”
Songs being performed include “Salute to the Armed Forces;” “Blades of Grass,” which is a memorial song honoring fallen veterans; “This Day,” which is intended to inspire hope for to the loved ones of fallen veterans, and “You Will Be Found,” from the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hanson, which reassures everyone that they are valued and that they are not alone.
Flags at the event will be presented by a wheelchair honor guard.
As with all Resounding Harmony concerts, all proceeds will go to the chosen beneficiary organization.
Founded in 2008 by former Turtle Creek Chorale artistic director Tim Seelig, Resounding Harmony started with a mix of members from TCC, The Women’s Chorus of Dallas and church choirs from around the city. Now under the leadership of Artistic Director Russ Rieger, with accompanist Antoine Spencer, the chorus stays true to its original mission.
“We are the only philanthropic community chorus around,” Knight explained. “Musical philanthropy — ‘Giving where we’re living,’ as our mission says — is what we are all about. We’re different from other local choruses, because they are out there to make a profit, and we are out there to give money away. Every concert we do is a benefit for a specific local organization.”
Other Resounding Harmony beneficiary organizations have included the Make A Wish Foundation, Wounded Warriors, CASA, Mommies in Need, and the Ashley Bear Project.
Because the concerts are intended to raise money for nonprofits, Resounding Harmony’s leaders and members work hard to keep expenses as low as possible to maximize donations to beneficiaries. Knight said RH singers buy their own music, buy their own concert attire and pay any travel expenses out of their own pockets.
“They do whatever they need to do to make sure that we can give away as many dollars as possible,” he said.
That’s also why, he continued, this concert is being held at UMC of Preston Hollow: because the church offered use of the venue free of charge. That not only helps maximize donations, Knight said, it also helps keep ticket prices reasonable.
Resounding Harmony has given away “just under $400,000” in its 10 years, and Knight noted that members also donate their own time and energy to other charitable causes such as events for children in shelters, FAA Veterans Day programs, the Ashley Bear Project and many more.
“We have had as many as 125 singers perform in concert. For this concert, we have about 50 people singing. They have rehearsed since January, two hours every Sunday. This is an exceptional group of people, and this will be an exceptional concert.”