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Gospel Jamboree Will Help Less-Fortunate

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By PAUL CATALA, Tribune correspondent

Published: September 19, 2007

Updated: 09/17/2007 08:11 pm

PLANT CITY - Over the past nine years, the soul-soothing melodies of gospel music have filled the air, helping raise money for a community-based organization.

Again this year, those harmonies will flow, this time in the presence of a bunch of bears.

Beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday, in the Plant City Cornerstone Center, 315 N. Collins St., the Unity in the Community's Gospel Jamboree gets under way.

This year, in addition to the music, the organization for the first time is holding a Dress-A-Bear contest during the fundraiser. The bears will be judged on best or most originally dressed.
Unity in the Community is a Plant City not-for-profit charity that works to raise money for Meals on Wheels, Feed Plant City and United Food Bank & Services. Its goal is to raise $65,000 this year for those organizations, and the gospel sing and bear contest are part of that effort.

Joyce Jordan, Unity president and director, said the bear contest will offer people the chance to get involved in the event and have some fun doing it.

With the Dress-A-Bear contest, a $15 donation to Unity will get the donor a stuffed bear. The person then will dress the bear however he or she wants to, with clothing, jewelry, hats, beads or other items. At the gospel concert, the guests will bring their bears for judging and get a $5 discount on tickets.

Jordan said 10 bears will be chosen, with the top three winning prizes. She said all 10 will be entered into a local fine arts auction in 2008, helping 'earn even more money to help Unity help your community.'

'It's all for a good cause and it should be a lot of fun,' she said. 'One of the highlights will be the judging of the bears and we'll pick a winner that night. It's going to be unique and a lot of fun.'

The idea for the Dress-A-Bear contest came from Unity Treasurer-Director Melody Townsend, who was involved in a similar fundraiser in Tennessee.

The gospel concert will resound around the hall, featuring some of the area's best-known gospel groups: The Faithful Men Quartet, the Gulf State Gospel Quartet, Shepherd's Four Quartet and The Gospel Echoes with Joe Ramsey and Faye Capper.

Ramsey, who has co-hosted satellite television's 'The Gospel Music Hour' for eight years, said all the acts are 'powerful' and they are singing for a good cause.

'We're all helping with the music and anyone that likes gospel music should come out to hear some great old-timey pickin' and singin',' said Ramsey, whose repertoire will include 'We'll Have a New Life,' 'Amazing Grace' and 'God Saves Old Sinners.'

Tickets for the Gospel Jamboree are $12 for general admission, $15 reserved seating. Advanced tickets can be picked up at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, 106 N. Evers St.; Brown's Jewelers, 1705 James L. Redman Parkway; Brown's Wrecker Service, 206 Waller St.; or Sweetbay Supermarkets, 205 N. Alexander St. and 507 S. Wheeler St.

For information, call (813) 752-1275 or (813) 752-2727.
UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY GOSPEL JAMBOREE
WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Plant City Cornerstone Center, 315 N. Collins St.

FEATURES: Gospel music and teddy bear decorating contest

TICKETS: $12 general admission or $15 reserved seating

INFORMATION: (813) 752-1275 or (813) 752-2727.

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