Hospital brings gift of music to county

With such a tremendous emphasis on Columbia County's growing arts programs, a collaborative effort between Columbia County, the Augusta Opera and Doctors Hospital will bring the Augusta area together in a musical performance Saturday dubbed Music at Twilight.

The performance, which will feature the Augusta Opera, will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday on the steps of the Columbia County Justice Center in Evans.

"Doctors Hospital approach-ed us and asked if there was some way they could provide a gift to the citizens of Columbia County," said Gordon Ren-shaw, the executive director of the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce. "At the same time, the Augusta Opera expressed an interest in doing a performance in Columbia County."

Renshaw suggested that Doctors Hospital sponsor the concert, which he hopes will become an annual event.

"We have a new performing arts center opening in Columbia County in April and we certainly want to make the arts known in Columbia County," said Renshaw, a Columbia County Arts, Inc., board member and advisory board member of the Greater Augusta Arts Council.

The new performing arts center will open as part of the Columbia County library. The facility will house a library, meeting and conference rooms, a 300-seat performing arts center, a memorial garden, a pond and a 1,000-seat outdoor amphitheater.

"Doctors Hospital believes in partnering with local organizations to promote enrichment through the arts," said Ginger Tyra, the marketing and public relations director at Doctors Hospital. "We feel this is a perfect opportunity to help bring the gift of beautiful music to our neighbors in Columbia County. We have the idea that Music at Twilight is a family-oriented, casual outdoor event and is open to everyone."

"We hope this becomes a very significant event for Columbia County," said Renshaw. "We hope that we can partner with other Columbia County arts groups."