'Sgt. Pepper's' concert raises funds to benefit children
Exchange Club has money for charities
An August concert allowed the Columbia County Exchange Club to help two nonprofit organizations with large donations.
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The Exchange Club put on the inaugural All You Need Is Love Concert for Kids on Aug. 11, featuring Ed Turner and Number 9.
The band gave a performance of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album as a benefit for the club's charities.
The Exchange Club, which focuses on child abuse prevention, presented two checks from concert proceeds at the club's regular breakfast meeting Thursday at West Lake Country Club.
At the meeting, Penny Rayfield, the club president, and band members Tim Arbisi and Chip McDonald presented a $15,000 check to Dan Hillman, the executive director of Child Enrichment Inc.
"This club deserves a lot of credit, and you folks, too," Hillman said to the trio. "Thank you very much."
Child Enrichment Inc. provides services to abused, abandoned and neglected children through the Child Advocacy Center and the Court Appointed Special Advocate Program.
The center assisted more than 800 children last year and is serving 232 children through the advocate program, Hillman said.
"We greatly appreciate it. You guys, you hit a home run," Hillman said to Arbisi and McDonald about the concert.
The club also presented a $5,000 check to Donna Lee, of the Columbia County Foundation for Children.
The foundation, through the Children's Resource Center, provides donated clothing free of charge to those referred by the Department of Family and Children Services, schools and churches.
Others are able to purchase clothing and household items for a minimal fee, with proceeds supporting the Resource Center.
Lee said the foundation also provides scholarships and helps fund various trips, eyeglasses, prescriptions, class rings, prom dresses, musical instruments and medical needs for needy children.
"The remainder of the money is going to the Columbia County Exchange Club Project for Children," Rayfield said.
"Our national project is child abuse prevention. And we also have projects that cover Americanism, community service and youth projects," she said.