Birmingham

Celebs sing for kids at third annual fundraiser

By Tiffany Esshaki
C & G Staff Writer

BIRMINGHAM — The third annual Sing Out 4 Kids charity event is happening Saturday, Feb. 11, at The Community House in Birmingham. The karaoke fundraiser will feature local celebrities taking the stage to show off their singing skills, or lack thereof, while they raise money for four Oakland County children’s charities.

“It’s a very unique event. I don’t know anyone else doing anything like it,” said Pamela Ayres, director of resource and fund development at Orchards Children’s Services.

Sing Out 4 Kids benefits The Children’s Charities Coalition, which along with Orchards includes CARE House of Oakland County, Variety Children’s Charity and The Community House. In years past, the event has raised $60,228 to support the coalition, according to Kelly Shuert, president of the Variety board of directors. Like the other charities in the coalition, Shuert said Variety, which recently moved its operations from Southfield to Birmingham, has long been a leader in helping youth and their families in the community.

“Our mission is ‘We Change Lives.’ Everything we do is based around children. We have programs aimed at medical issues, hunger, just anything where children are in need.”

Slated to perform at this year’s fundraiser are such Detroit personalities as Fox 2 News anchor Monica Gayle, former state Rep. Joe Knollenberg, Ford Motor Co. Director of Export and Growth Hal Feder, former Detroit Red Wings player Kraig Nienhuis and others. To lend some professional assistance, singer/songwriter Jamie McCarthy and Motor City Lyric Opera performer Mary Callaghan Lynch will also take the stage. The night will be emceed by Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard and attorney Henry Baskin.

“It’s just a night of pure fun and entertainment. Last year was so much fun; people left saying what a good time they had.”

Kathy Broock Ballard, a real estate agent, also sits on the board of directors at Variety and plans to sing at the fundraiser. As co-chair of Sing Out 4 Kids, she says she’s nervous about the success of the event, but doesn’t mind grabbing a microphone. According to her, she’s never been shy and has always loved music.

“I had a band when I was at Michigan State, so I’ve had a passion for singing for a long time. It paid for my social life at school,” she said. “Besides, this is not a conventional event. It’s a lot of fun, and I feel like I’m surrounded by friends.”

The festivities will include dinner catered by Plum Market. There will be a cash bar, and silent and live auctions, which include a pair of tickets to the finals of “American Idol” in Los Angeles.

“It’s a relaxed, casual event,” said Ayres. “People will get up and start singing with the celebrities. There’s even some hooting and hollering. Some of the celebrities will blow you away, and others know they’re really bad, and they just go up there and do it for the kids.”

Once the performers are finished crooning, the audience can send in bids to get other spectators up to the microphone. If that audience member doesn’t want to sing, he or she will have to place a counter bid to get out of it. Schuert said the bidding wars are all in good fun, and people in the past have usually jumped at the chance to get their five minutes of fame.

Part of the reason the event is such a success, she added, is that guests know they’re supporting a worthy cause. Ayres said it’s great that the coalition can come together to combine resources and do some good for youth in the community.

“Orchards alone helps over 4,000 children. When you join us all together, we’re helping 10,000 kids. That’s a huge number, and it’s a number we’re proud of,” said Ayres. “It shows that by joining forces, you can really touch a lot of kids.”

Tickets for Sing Out 4 Kids are $75 per person for general admission, and reserved patron seating is $125 per person. For reservations, contact CARE House at (248) 332-7173. The Community House is located at 380 S. Bates St.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Tiffany Esshaki at tesshaki@candgnews.com or at ( ) - .