_ The Power County Press. Page 4
Hospital foundation,
Ann Wheeler deserve
credit for cultural event
American Falls was home to a cultural event this past Saturday evening that might leave people shaking their heads and wondering, "Why here?"
Irish Tenor Anthony Kearns, and his equally entertaining sidekick Patrick Healy, traveled thousands of miles, literally, to perform a concert fund-raising event for the Harms Memorial Hospital Foundation.
It was a massive undertaking, and considerable financial risk, for the foundation, but it came off with hardly a hitch.
Sure, there were plenty of general admission tickets that went unsold, but reserved seating was at its maximum and even had to be increased, to allow for more people who wanted to take part in a reception following the concert.
Attendees at the concert (a Kearns concert is rare in the United States) traveled from as far as Alabama, Colorado, Washington and Minnesota just for a couple of hours of Irish song. They left fulfilled. Even those who attended but might not consider this type of music their cup of tea left impressed with the vocal and emotional power of Kearns' voice, not to mention the musical talent and wit of Healy.
The concert was months in the works, as the hospital foundation worked diligently on its biggest fund-raising effort ever. Foundation chairman Ann Wheeler deserves much of the credit. She pounded the streets, lined up sponsors, sold tickets and almost single-handedly made sure the concert would prove successful. Other members of the foundation board, Carol Schreiber, Margaret McNamara, Mike Hovorka, Rod Tucker and Brett Crompton, also deserve recognition for their hard work in the final weeks leading up to the concert. Hospital administrator Bob Brummond also was instrumental in the concert's success.
Credit should also be given to the voters of the American Falls School District, who approved a levy that allowed construction of a wonderful performing arts theatre at the new high school. Without it, concerts of this quality wouldn't be possible.
Kearns and Healy certainly aren't used to playing before audiences of this size. And to be truthful, a lion's share of this audience wasn't even from Power County. But just as their performance left a lasting impression on those in attendance, this town, this area, and its residents also left a lasting impression on the performers.
According to some of those in attendance who follow Kearns and Healy closely, they are not known for lavishing undue praise on their concert locales and audiences. So it was a surprise even to those who know them well when Healy, after telling about his travails in making it to American Falls, said "You are a lucky people to live here. I'll disappear into the blue, but I don't want to lose this association."
Nor do we.
Brett Crompton
(Published: April 28, 2004)
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