Maggie Rose to perform at Room for One More benefit concert

Room for One More � an organization that advocates for orphans worldwide � is hosting a local benefit concert, featuring Emmy-winning country artist Maggie Rose, in celebration of the charity�s 10th anniversary.

The benefit concert will be at 7 p.m. Jan. 12 at River House Winery in Scott City.

When the organization began in 2009, Room for One More president Shari Stroup said she felt as though God was opening her eyes to the number of vulnerable children in the world.

Stroup has four biological children and two adopted children. Room for One More co-founder Shelly Nall also has adopted children and biological children, Stroup said.

�I really think God called us for this type of mission because He wanted people to know that we�re not adopting just because we want children,� Stroup said. �We�re adopting because God�s heart is for children to be in families.�

Last year was the first year the benefit concert was held � also with Rose performing � which Stroup said was very successful.

The idea for the event grew out of the organization having hosted several �Run for One More� events, Stroup said.

�That�s what we had done for several years,� she said. �We were new, so [runs were] a great way to raise awareness, funding and to get our name out there.�

But those events didn�t raise �a ton of money,� according to Stroup.

�We were blessed last year with connections of getting to host this concert,� she said. �It has really exploded our funding.�

And because of the concerts, it�s allowed Room for One More to increase its awareness within Southeast Missouri, she said.

It�s also added a �different crowd,� Stroup explained.

�It�s expanded out customer base and we�ve been able to share the ministry with more people,� Stroup said. �It�s a different type of event, so different types of people want to come to it.�

Stroup, excited about the upcoming concert, said last year the concert was sold out two weeks before show time. And she expects about the same number of attendees at the concert in January.

�It was a wonderful event and it was wonderful because it had such a great meaning,� she said. �The event was so personal because Maggie Rose�s husband is from Sikeston, Missouri. It was a community, family, fun event.�

With the foundation�s 10-year anniversary celebration, Stroup said Room for One More is able to �celebrate changing the lives of children forever.�

�We�re able to give 100 grants (to adoptive parents) through adoption; we�re able to help 200 children in India, and we�re able to help with 50 wheelchairs for special needs children in Guatemala.�

According to the organization�s website, Room for One More helps orphan children worldwide find loving homes and families through adoption grants, encouraging foster parenting, helping children in orphanages with food, shelter, medical care and an education and to raise awareness for the urgent need to adopt children with special needs to keep them from a lifetime of institutionalized living.

Tickets are $125 and may be purchased online at www.roomforonemorechild.org.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632