HOISINGTON — Area residents will have a unique opportunity to enjoy a fabulous evening of extraordinary music, and at the same time support Barton County children living with cancer. Craig Jaynes, organist, Jamestown, Ohio, and Dr. David Lowe, violist, Lindsborg, will combine their superior musical abilities as they present, ‘A Celebration: In Songs of Prayer and Dance’ as they celebrate the 125th anniversary of Hoisington and the 150th anniversary of Kansas. The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 5th and Main, Hoisington. Admission will be a freewill donation to benefit Kans for Kids Fighting Cancer Foundation.
Jaynes, a native of Hoisington and a graduate of Hoisington High School, attended Wichita State University and received his degree from Kent State University. He studied organ with Paul Lindquist, Dorothy Addy, Diane Bish and Virgil Fox. He has served churches in Kansas and Ohio as organist and choir-director, and has been an organist/choirmaster for 48 years. Jaynes has returned to his roots for several times over the past years to present benefit concerts not only for Kans for Kids, but also for the Lee Dicks Endowment for the bands of USD 431.
Dr. David Lowe, Lindsborg, is the principal violist with the Salina Symphony. He received his doctorate in Musical Arts from the University of Colorado and also received degrees from Julliard School of Music and Columbia University. A violist with the St. Louis Symphony and the Air Force Academy, Dr. Lowe was the professor of strings at Bethany College, Lindsborg, for 26 years.
Both men are donating their time and musicianship to benefit Kans for Kids, a non-profit organization in Hoisington that provides both emotional and financial support for any child in Barton County receiving treatment for cancer. Established in 1994 by Sarah and Shane Reif, Hoisington, the mission of Kans for Kids is to provide funding for families in Barton County with children who are living with cancer, create public awareness of childhood cancer, and offer hope to families who are affected by childhood cancer. Since its inception, Kans for Kids has assisted 25 Barton County children: 14 from Great Bend, three from Ellinwood, and eight from Hoisington.
Kans for Kids is currently providing assistance for four Barton County children: Tanner Blackwell, 12, Hoisington, diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) in March of 2010, he is the son of Jim and Anita Blackwell and recently underwent a stem cell transplant at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas; Aaron Fryberger, 14, Great Bend, diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in May of 2009 and is in the midst of 2 ½ years of treatment in Kansas City. He is the son of Julia Fryberger; and Dade Cannon, 6, Great Bend, diagnosed with leukemia,ALL, in April of 2009,is also undergoing 2 ½ years of treatment in Kansas City. He is the son of Manford and Christy Cannon; and 2-1/2 year old Kaito Richter, Great Bend, son of Nick Richter and Amber Beverley, was diagnosed with a Ewing’s Sarcoma in his thigh and is undergoing two years of treatment in Wichita.
According to Kans for Kids director, Debbie Reif, "We are very honored, grateful, and blessed to have these two outstanding musicians donate their time and remarkable abilities to Kans for Kids. It is a rare and unique opportunity for central Kansas to have the opportunity to enjoy an evening of this quality of music. We would love to see residents from every community in Barton County attend the concert and show their support for the children from their respective communities."
