A Peek Inside the St. Jude Singer Songwriter Session — Evia Onsite
Bulbs flashing, glamorously dressed people, champagne to greet you at the door, and performances by talented singer-songwriters. No, I’m not talking about the Grammy’s, but rather the 2nd Annual St. Jude Singer Songwriters Session! Last Friday, ladies and gents dressed in their cocktail best to mingle, bid, and dine for a great cause. The proceeds from the evening will go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and help fund research to treat and eradicate childhood cancer and life-threatening diseases.
The Songwriter Session featured country artist Gary Morris, 19-year-old singer/songwriter Bailey Bryan, and former XFactor contestant, musician LeRoy Bell. They took turns talking about songs they wrote, the stories that inspired them, and then entertained the audience with their acoustic renditions. One story, Gary Morris regaled, was about a man who emailed him explaining that there was a certain song he and his girlfriend loved and how he wanted to propose the next time Gary performed in their town. Well, when Gary arrived; he played the song, looked around, and asked if the man was in the crowd. The man was timid and finally piped up “I’m here!” and Gary said, “Don’t you have something you want to ask your girlfriend…?” That was enough to get the boyfriend to propose right then and there — she said yes — happy ending!
The entertainment didn’t disappoint and neither did the fund-raising auction. Donations from the community were generous this year. Among the array of items and experiences were Seattle Sounder FC tickets and a meet-and-greet, Katy Perry’s signed guitar, private dining at Canlis, and a weeklong trip to Italy. Winning bids went to fund hospital expenses including chemo treatment and food cards.
A poignant moment was when a young patient’s mother spoke about the emotional and overwhelming experience of childhood cancer. When her son was diagnosed with melanoma (virtually unheard of in a child that age), the only hospital with the resources and experience to treat him was St. Jude’s. While he’s taking his progress one day at a time, seated near the podium was a now healthy, playful little boy. With their grateful smiles, you wouldn’t suspect the ordeal this family had been through. Because of St. Jude, they didn’t have to worry about bills for treatment, travel, housing or even food- it was all taken care of through the hospital.
Evia was proud to be a sponsor for the event and our President, Hilary served on the Steering Committee. Event Project Manager Jennifer managed our video production team, who was on-site to film the festivities. From the footage they captured, Evia is producing two videos so St. Jude remember and share the excitement and the experience of that night. This donation of time, skill, and equipment is part of Evia’s initiative to contribute time and talent to the community.
The St. Jude Singer Songwriter Session was a night to remember, but even if you missed out on the actual event, you can still donate to St. Jude’s mission here.
