Jackson Christian music group to perform in concert in Sikeston Saturday

SIKESTON, Mo. — This weekend, youth will be jamming in Sikeston, and it's all for a good cause.

The Sikeston Optimist Club will host a Christian Youth Concert featuring Awakening, a contemporary Christian rock band from Jackson. Opening for the act with be Sikeston's own First United Methodist Church's praise band.

"The Optimist Club, internationally and locally, focuses on youth," said member Nannette Morris. "We were looking for a fundraiser to focus on youth, and one of our members is a member of the [Awakening] band."

The concert will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First United Methodist Church. All youth are invited. Concessions will also be available.

President Ronda Smith said the Optimist Club wanted a youth event that would be engaging and provide new opportunities. "Our kids are limited as to how much, especially in the music realm, they can actually get involved in," she said.

"And this is a form of entertainment that is kind of family-oriented and reflects our values in this area," said Wende Pruden, vice president of the group. She admitted that she, too, is looking forward to the concert.

Throughout the year, the group does several projects with students, such as the Youth in Government Day, an oratorical contest and essay contest, to name a few. The biggest project, however, is the Christmas shoe project. Funds raised at Saturday's event will go toward that project.

"It's an about 45-year project," said Morris. "We put shoes on Sikeston-area school children in preschool through second grade."

Over the years, the project has annually put on more than 200 pair of shoes, socks, hats and gloves to children referred through schools.

So the concert will benefit youth in two ways, which is what club members intended. "We were trying to come up with a project that would be a fundraiser, but we also like the idea of kids helping kids," said Smith.

Pruden noted the admission cost is $5. "So it's not very much money," she said. And of course, all the proceeds go to a good cause.

Kara Whitledge belongs to the Optimist Club and is also a band member. She said the concert will include "high energy praise and worship music."

Awakening members are looking forward to the event. "Music is a way to get blessings out to the people, and to be able to do that at the same time as helping get the shoes out to the kids, it was jut a great opportunity that we couldn't pass up," said Whitledge.

A lot of interaction is planned, and she said youth should have fun at the concert. "And at the same time, they'll get a little ministry from us," said Whitledge, noting the event is nondenominational. "We'll pass along God's message at the same time."

Optimist Club members have worked to get out the word by sending letters about the concert to various youth organizations and church youth groups around the area, said Pruden.

"We've had a positive response from individuals," she said. Organizers are unsure of what the turnout will be like, since weekends are always busy with sports and other extracurricular activities.

"We just really hope that parents and youth leaders promote this for the youth," said Morris.

However, they said they have high hopes the attendance will be high and the concert will have a good reception.

In addition to making the concert an annual event, Pruden said she wants to see new activities planned for the youth. "Not just music, but other entertainment as well," she said.

"We are trying to get some more activities for youth in our area," agreed Smith. "It's something we would love to see grow and expand, and maybe involve other clubs and youth groups."

If you go:

What: Christian Youth Concert, sponsored by the Sikeston Optimist Club

When: 2 p.m. Saturday

Where: First United Methodist Church, 1307 N. Main in Sikeston

How much: A $5 donation will be taken at the door, and proceeds will go toward the Optimists' New Shoes Christmas Project.

A Nintendo Wii and iPod will be given as door prizes, and there will be a raffle for a chance to sing with the band