Talk about a big adjustment.
A group of people whose expertise is spinal manipulation has found the courageous backbone to try its hand at the pop music limelight.
A 12-person team from Family Chiropractic and Wellness will serve as one of three groups entertaining at the fourth annual Crooners For CASA fundraiser Saturday at The Commons in Columbus. The gathering, which attracted a sellout crowd of about 340 people last year and generated about $50,000 for Advocates For Children, features groups performing a broad range of tunes karaoke style, often with outfits matching or spoofing an artist or act of choice.
“Every year, I’d say the unexpected is the best part,” said Bryan Kendall, event co-chair with his wife, Erin.
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When the Family Chiropractic and Wellness staff first heard about the event about three months ago, putting together a team sounded like fun. Now, with plans to sing a medley of tunes from “Grease,” Dr. Mandy Wyant wonders laughingly what-in-the-name-of-John-Travolta they have gotten themselves into.
“We’re a little nervous,” Wyant said. “None of us are singers.”
With apologies to Olivia Newton-John, they are now.
“This really puts us out of our comfort zone,” Wyant said. “But we’re doing this because of the cause.”
In fact, the medical office already had designated Advocates for Children as its 2017 cause for the year before January. The business selects a local organization it will financially support, and then donates $50 for each new-patient visit to the cause.
Already, the staff has raised $5,610 for Advocates for Children this year.
Other teams — Fresh Prince of SIHO and a team called Bassically Trebled — are preparing, too.
The event features an open-mic time when anyone can become something of a rock star.
“There always are people you never would have thought were that big of a Bon Jovi or Metallica fan,” Kendall said. “Sometimes, it’s the people you would least expect to do that sort of thing.”
But, at the gathering, everyone’s an Advocates For Children fan.
Its CASA acronym stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, the agency’s volunteers who represent children’s best interests in cases of abuse and neglect. Partly because of the success of Crooners For CASA, the agency helped a record 841 children last year, said Rick Scalf, Advocates’ community outreach coordinator.
“We have been able to do a lot more, both in terms of ramping up our recruitment of CASA volunteers and matching that, because of the need, with staff guardians ad litem who directly handle cases themselves,” Scalf said.
People who can’t attend the event can support each team with donations at croonersforcasa.com.
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What: Fourth Annual Crooners For Casa fundraiser for Advocates For Children. The event features three teams singing tunes karaoke style, and usually with ample humor and creativity.
When: 6:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday.
Where: The Commons, 300 Washington St. in Columbus.
Food and drink: Provided by Henry Social Club and Tre Bicchieri.
Tickets: $50 per person or $450 for a table of eight. Available online at croonersforcasa.com.
Information: croonersforcasa.com or the Facebook page for Crooners For CASA 2017.
More information about Advocates For Children: apowerfulvoice.org.
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