ALPHARETTA, Ga. (Lighthouse Family Retreat) - Kenny Rogers, legendary singer, performer and actor will hold a benefit concert for The
Lighthouse Family Retreat in Seaside, Florida on Wednesday, August 2, 2006. With the recent release of his new album, Water & Bridges,
Kenny Rogers proves that a seminal American music icon can still surprise people and challenge himself. Reaching people through music has always been Rogers' specialty.
Fortunately for children with cancer and their families, Kenny has chosen to lift his voice and extend a hand to help The Lighthouse.
The Lighthouse serves children with cancer and their families at a seaside retreat and helps them to laugh, restore family relationships and find hope in God. Working at the bedside, Melinda Mayton, a pediatric oncology nurse, witnessed the devastation that childhood cancer brings to the entire family - the stress on relationships, emotions, finances and spirituality. Inspired to help reconnect these families, Melinda founded The Lighthouse Family Retreat. On August 8, 2000, The Lighthouse held its inaugural retreat for six children with cancer and their families. Since that time, The Lighthouse has served more than 400 families living through childhood cancer and hosted over 36 retreats. While the growth has been amazing, the passion of the staff and volunteers is fueled by the countless smiles, renewed relationships and the powerful testimonies of families.
The families are the heart of The Lighthouse and it's their stories that make the organization one of a kind. A mother whose four year old son is suffering from Nueroblastoma, a cancer of the nervous system, shared about her recent visit to The Lighthouse in Seaside, FL this June. "With all of our hearts we can't thank The Lighthouse enough for this amazing week of love. Two years ago when our son was diagnosed with the most unfavorable form of Nueroblastoma, we weren't certain we would ever leave the hospital, mush less dip our toes in the ocean again. Yet through the chemo, surgeries and radiation we held on to that sunny dream. This week we discovered the uncommon beauty of service through the extraordinary contributions of volunteers and donors of The Lighthouse."
This year, families living through childhood cancer from over 13 different states have already attended a Lighthouse retreat at no cost. Ticket sales from the upcoming benefit concert will help offset a portion of the expenses for even more families to attend a retreat. When Melinda got the news that Kenny Rogers had offered to perform for The Lighthouse she was speechless. "We are so grateful that a legendary performer would take time out of his busy tour schedule to help a small organization like ours...to help our families. It is because of individuals like him that we can bring joy and hope to more than 120 families living through childhood cancer this retreat season."
To purchase tickets for the upcoming concert, call Ticketmaster at 850-434-7444 or visit https://www.ticketmaster.com/. A limited number of tickets can be purchased at the Seaside Cottage Rental Agency. The concert will be at 8:00 p.m. in the Seaside Lyceum. Concert doors open at 6:30 p.m. Individual tickets are available for $58 per person. A limited number of VIP tickets are available by calling The Lighthouse office at 678-455-5115. A donation of $2500 will help send a child with cancer and their family to The Lighthouse for a week of fun and laughter and also include four VIP concert tickets. A donation of $5000 includes eight VIP concert tickets and a table for eight at the WaterColor gala before the concert. All concert tickets are for lawn seating and are non-refundable. Concert will be held rain or shine. No food or drinks allowed. Net proceeds benefit The Lighthouse Family Retreat.
The Lighthouse is a tax exempt charitable organization 501 (c) 3 and is funded through generous donations from retreat volunteers, sponsors, friends and financial partners. For more information about The Lighthouse, visit www.lighthousefamilyretreat.org.
