MELISSA'S PLACE UPDATE
Melissa's Place is located in the western portion of Haiti which received some of the worst damage from Hurricane Matthew. The orphanage was about 75 percent complete before the storm. As you can see from the pictures the buildings suffered major damage. In addition, the mattresses, clothing and agricultural supplies that were purchased and shipped in the spring were all lost. Fortunately, the girls all survived. Your attendance at the benefit concert and participation in the live auction is now all the more important in helping to repair and complete Melissa's place. We look forward to seeing you in February.
MELISSA'S PLACE BENEFIT
February 16, 2017
The Wharf - Orange Beach, AL
One General Admission Ticket ($10)*
Two General Admission Tickets ($20)*
*Note that tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. This is a BYOB event.
**Please note that you will not receive tickets to the event**
PayPal will mail you a receipt for your ticket purchase and/or donation.
Your name will be listed on the guest list at the event.
Not able to make it the event? Consider donating to Melissa's Place.
MELISSA'S PLACE BENEFIT
On February 16, 2017, a benefit concert and live auction will be held in the Orange Beach Event Center at The Wharf, Orange Beach, Alabama. All proceeds go towards completing construction of Melissa's Place, an orphanage being built in Haiti for girls 5 to 16 years old. In addition to the music of The Coachmen, and Wojamm travelling here for this event, Gulf Coast locals Lisa Christian, Mac Walter and Shelby Brown (recently seen on The Voice) will perform. During the intermission of this great benefit concert, a LIVE AUCTION will be held with proceeds also going to Melissa's Place. Live Auction items can be paid for at the event with cash, check or credit card.
A number of local businesses are participating by contributing products and services and "experiences" to be included in the LIVE AUCTION. Items will include trip for 2 to Montana, 3 Night Beach Stay, Spa Packages, Private Gourmet Dinners and Golf Packages. Since the event (3:00pm - 6:00pm) takes place in the height of "Snowbird Season", the majority of our audience (expected attendance 950) will be the Michigan and Iowa Snowbird Clubs and it is expected to be a sellout. Admission tickets are only $10 in advance and $15 at the door and patrons are invited to BYOB.
MELISSA'S PLACE
Jerry Shelly, Director of the Melissa's Place Benefit Concert says, "During my last trip to Haiti, I met a Haitian priest who is doing some amazing work to help address the needs of the many orphaned children there. His name is Father Garry. In addition to being a full-time priest, he has built two orphanages and is working on a third. I visited the proposed site for the new one in 2014 and met the 15 girls, ages 5 to 16 who would be the first to live there. I agreed to do what I could to help him raise funds that he will need to provide the girls with a safe home and opportunity. He estimates the cost to build and furnish the facility to be $85,000, a modest amount by U.S. standards. The orphanage will be located in Georgette, a small hamlet about 35 miles east of Jeremie. Land for the site has been donated and the girls' home will be named after my daughter Melissa, who lost her life a decade ago in a tragic car accident."
ABOUT MELISSA
Melissa (Shelly) Barry, 28, and her husband Dylan, 29, were killed in a car wreck on July 1, 2004. Their three-year-old son, Zeke, survived the accident and is now a healthy 15 year old. Music was a large part of their lives. Melissa was a singer songwriter who wrote poignant songs about her marriage and raising a son. She was the lead singer in a Birmingham, Alabama based new grass band called Folk Salad. Jason Bailey, an accomplished mandolin player and founder of the band said, "When Melissa sang, she sounded crisp and angelic, with a warm earthiness many artists strive for. She had a voice like a lead singer needed to have: it was unique, you knew it was her singing."
Just a few months before Melissa's accident, her father, Jerry, arranged for Folk Salad to record a demo of some of Melissa's songs in a local studio. After the accident, all of her home recorded originals were combined with the professionally produced and recorded arrangements for a complete CD of all her music.
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**The CD is now available upon request to all of those who donate to Melissa's Place. Click here to request a copy.
