COLUMBUS, Ind. — Our Hospice of South Central Indiana leaders always have acknowledged that preparing for a major fundraising concert with some 8,000 people spread across Mill Race Park could present its share of difficulties.
And now they also readily acknowledge that preparing for such a gathering slated Saturday that had to be moved to a livestreamed, online event because of the COVID-19 pandemic presents its own unique challenges.
But they say they’re still optimistic that people still can enjoy the music of Yacht Rock Revue, which includes Columbus natives and guitarists Nick Niespodziani and Peter Olson while supporting the nonprofit agency by purchasing raffle tickets and online donations.
Hospice netted $124,000 from last year’s concert with ’80s band Survivor before an estimated 7,500 fans at the park.
This year’s event will be livestreamed from the Coca-Cola Roxy in Atlanta, Georgia, where the band is based. Opened in 2017, the 3,600 capacity venue is located in The Battery Atlanta, a mixed-use development next to Truist Park, home of The Atlanta Braves. There won’t be an audience in the venue as the band performs.
The yearly classic rock gathering, begun in 1987, raises money through souvenir, cookie and raffle ticket sales — not to mention sponsorships and artwork — to support the efforts of the local nonprofit hospice and its mission: providing end-of-life care for patients and families in 16 counties in south central Indiana. The agency was among the first in the state to do such work in the 1980s.
“This is still exciting for us, because it’s totally different,” said Laura Leonard, hospice’s executive director.
Since there will be no physical crowd to sell souvenirs to such as glowsticks and similar items. Plus, whimsical and artsy grills designed by from Faurecia volunteers could not be raffled this year.
“So we’ve had to be very creative,” said Julie Davis, hospice’s events specialist.
For instance, volunteers’ cookie sales, normally a huge hit at the concert site, has been slated for a drive-through setup from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at FairOaks Mall, 2380 25th St. in Columbus. Raffle tickets, sold for $10 each for a $10,000 prize, also will be sold there, Leonard said she is expecting sell many more raffle tickets to help make up for the loss of grills and other fundraising items.
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
