Tonight's picture was taken in June of 2005. Mattie was three years old and he was on our deck in his blue beluga whale pool! I am sure when you look at this photo you are thinking that Mattie loved the sheer joy of splashing around in the water and getting wet. Well that would be partially correct! The true enjoyment however of the pool was that Mattie could bring his toys outside and throw them in the pool and play with them. Honestly the pool would be filled with everything from cars, trucks, trains, balls, and cups. You name it and it was probably in there!!!
Quote of the day: How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world. ~ William Shakespeare
Before The Tenors performed last night we were greeted by a young college graduate named Sara L. Prendergast. Sara shared with us a bit of her life story. In essence she grew up with two drug abusive parents and was eventually placed in foster care, which wasn't any better. However, despite her upbringing she remained focused and committed as a student and applied to the Horatio Alger's Association for a college scholarship. She won the scholarship which supported her tuition to attend Georgetown University. She was very appreciative of this support and wanted to illustrate to us that this funding helped to change her life around and now anything is possible for her. Why was she telling us this story? I admit this is a STRANGE way to open up a concert!!! She was telling us this because The Tenors serve as envoys in support of the Horatio Alger Association!!! In this important diplomatic role, the group is committed to advancing the mission and outreach of the Association throughout North America.
The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is one of the premiere scholarship organizations in the United States. The Horatio Alger Association is one of the foremost charitable organizations in the world and has provided more than $100 million in scholarships to 20,000 at risk and underprivileged students since it’s formation in 1984. Beyond the tremendous financial contributions of the organization, Horatio Alger makes it possible for hundreds of young people to stay in school and provides post-graduate support as they launch careers and graduate study.
In addition to their magnificent voices, it is evident that The Tenors care about people. It comes across not only in their envoy role, but also they invited a woman up on stage and gave her flowers and sang to her. She was invited on the stage because she won a local radio station contest promoting The Tenors. I am not sure what was more adorable, watching them serenade this woman, or watching Linda up there in awe of who she was standing next to! Throughout the evening, each of these men shared a story with us from their lives. We learned about their parents (siblings, grandparents, and children), they told us a little bit about who inspired them to perform (two of them claim to be VERY SHY), and how they learned to sing. They had a genuine way of connecting with their audience. There was NO light show, no big costume changes, just wonderful music. In addition to wonderful voices, they also surround themselves with talented musicians. They introduced us to each musician and really featured their talent along with their own. If you are not familiar with this incredible group, I attached two youtube videos featuring their music.
Anchor Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqsiHRCuJdo
Lead from the heart: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_En2FVuIzhM
As the concert was coming to an end last night, the last song the group sang was their rendition of Alleluia. I am not sure what was more magnificent the song or the fact that a HUGE Mattie Moon had just appears by a corner of the amphitheater. It was kind of a surreal moment in a way as if Mattie was there with us, shining down and enjoying the music.
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