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Two weeks ago, the fourth edition of LIVE UNITED in Music took the stage, starring Michael Cavanaugh and the music of Billy Joel and Sir Elton John. It is hard to imagine a better combination of community, connection, and talent assembled in one place. That is exactly what happened on October 18 and has happened since 2019 when the vision of a signature community event came to life on October 12, 2019. Joined by local and national talents like Tess Marshall, Mallory Scoppa Gardner, Kimbo Reichley, Abby Traxler and new stars like Stephanie Nappi and Isabel Butters, LIVE UNITED in Music is more than just a concert. It's a celebration of all that is good about a community and the people that live in it. While a pandemic slowed us down for a few years, LIVE UNITED in Music and what it stands for is still going strong. The event raised almost $45,000 this year and almost $185,000 since its inception!
With all this in mind, it's not just about the event. LIVE UNITED in Music brings together visual arts like the amazing images from Rick Mason Photography, our official photographer. Ceramic art from Worth Rawson, who has crafted the LIVE UNITED in Music Lifetime Achievement Award, is unique and creative. Worth and Rick have been with us since the beginning of this journey and both share a passion for this event and a love for our community.
But wait, there is more! LIVE UNITED in Music was a vision of the power of community from its humble beginnings around a table at Alabaster Coffee. When the late Meg Finn and I were contemplating the meaning of "cultivating community through the elevation of coffee culture," we both believed that community was at the center of it all and the merging of the arts with human services and philanthropy was a critical element in bringing a community together around a common cause. The Lycoming County United Way and its predecessor organizations have served the community by mobilizing resources since 1922, so the community has always been a part of our DNA. Shortly after Meg's death, my old friend Walt Straiton and I reconnected to talk about a signature event for the community. When I asked Walt who played Elton John's 'Candle in the Wind' at Meg's memorial service, the vision for LIVE UNITED in Music was born. Michael Cavanaugh was invited to make the vision a reality.
LIVE UNITED in Music is a testament to the power of community, celebrated through the arts. From the over 150 talented musicians who have participated as part of the LIVE UNITED in Music Pops Orchestra, many of whom participated in every show, to the back-stage wizardry of Michelle McKeown and Krista Snyder, to the fabulous team at the Community Arts Center, to the more than 50 sponsors, hotels, restaurants, printers, families and media partners who have provided in-kind or financial support for one or more shows, we are blessed by a community that cares about each other and about our United Way mission.
Ronald Frick is the president and CEO of the Lycoming County United Way.