A charity concert to support Toys for Tots will be coming Saturday to the Miller Performing Arts Center in Jefferson City. The headline act will be the group "SIX," a sextet of brothers who perform a cappella.
Harold Faughn, local Toys for Tots coordinator, said this is the first time the Cole County branch of the organization has put on a show like this.
Faughn said the concert is "basically a thank you" to the local community that has stepped up over and over again through the years to support the charity, but it's also a fundraiser.
He explained 100 percent of regular donations to Toys for Tots go directly to supplying children in need with two toys each plus stocking stuffers for Christmas. After paying for expenses, all proceeds from the concert will do the same.
He said right now, they've sold enough tickets for the show to pay for 450 kids to have Christmas gifts. If they sell out the show, then they will be able to help more than 800 kids.
Last year, the Cole County chapter of the organization helped 2,567 kids, Faughn said: 1,330 in Cole County; 521 in Moniteau County; 355 in Howard County; and 617 children in other surrounding counties like Osage, Audrain and Callaway.
He added that this year, he would like to take Toys for Tots to the Boothill region of the state too; only 43 of the 112 counties in Missouri have Toys for Tots, he said.
Nationally, the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve helps approximately 7 million kids every Christmas through Toys for Tots.
Faughn said he got the idea for the concert as a fundraiser after he saw SIX perform in Branson, and then realized he had a connection to them through a friend.
He explained that usually the group doesn't leave Branson, because business is so good there they don't need to. However, not only did he manage to convince them to come perform here, but he's hoping they will consider trading in their Chevrolet Camaros for the latest models at Riley Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac to contribute to the local economy.
Promotional materials for SIX show that each brother has a differently-colored Camaro: blue, red, yellow, orange, purple and green.
"They can do a complete orchestra" just with their voices, Faughn said of the elder six of 10 Knudsen brothers who form the group. He said they cover songs but also have written their own - either way, in '60s, '70s, gospel and country styles.
The concert will also include four other performers: Noren Access comes to the stage first at 2 p.m.; Sweet Adeline's at 3 p.m.; Sylvia Ferguson at 3:30 p.m.; and David Baker at 4:30 p.m. SIX is scheduled to take the stage at 6 p.m.
Faughn said Noren Access is a folk and gospel group, and Sweet Adeline's is a vocal a cappella performance group. Sylvia Ferguson used to perform with Bob Hope and B.B. King, he said. He added David Baker performs in a '60s and '70s vein and "he does the voice just like perfect" of Elton John.
The show will be all-ages friendly, and people can come and go at any time with their ticket, Faughn said. The price for a ticket is a $30 donation. For more information about purchasing tickets, people can contact 573-616-1837, email Faughn at [email protected] or visit Hy-Vee in Jefferson City. Credit cards will be accepted.