Steve Talbert
NEWS Correspondent

Friday, December 19, 2008

Thanks to the efforts of Adam Cranfill, locals can escape from the holiday hustle and bustle by listening to soft rock and easy-listening "dinner music" at The Strand Theatre on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. All proceeds will go to the Ryan Fischer Foundation, a nonprofit organization that will help other leukemia patients.

The doors open at 7 p.m., and admission is $5. Performers include Michele Cole, Wes Leeper, Trent Sturgill, Nick Coulston and Cranfill.

A junior at University of Indianapolis, Cranfill is pursuing a major in marketing with a minor in supply chain management. The benefit concert was a class project on a nonprofit endeavor, and Cranfill received an "A" for his research, plan and analysis. Some of Cranfill’s classmates organized food drives for the needy, but Cranfill was the only one to organize a concert.

"My goal is to raise $1,000," Cranfill said.

Cranfill never met the late Ryan Fischer, who died of cancer at age 23 on Aug. 25 – but Cranfill he was familiar with Fischer’s battle with leukemia. Both lived in Waldron, and both graduated from Waldron High School (Fischer in 2003, and Cranfill in 2006). Originally, Cranfill wanted to help Fischer’s family with expenses, but the family wants all donations to go to other leukemia patients in Fischer’s name.

Shelbyville vocalist Cole looks forward to performing again onstage at the Strand. Cole, a 1983 Shelbyville High School graduate, sang there for the first time during the "ShelbyIdol" talent competition in August. For the benefit, Cole will sing several easy-listening selections – including "At Seventeen," "Autumn Leaves" and "Summertime."

"The Strand has a neat atmosphere," Cole said. "We’ll be performing several old classics."

The Strand board of directors donated use of the theater to the benefit organizers to help raise funds and reduce costs.

"This will make the fourth time in our short history that the Strand has given back," David M. Finkel, director of the Strand Theatre of Shelbyville Inc. executive board, said. "So far, we have helped raise over $4,000 for others and collected more than 200 pounds of food that we donated to Human Services. We are very proud that we are helping to give back to our community."

After the concert, attendees are invited to watch The Flying Toasters perform at Occasions at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $10, with $3 going to the Strand Renovation Fund.