Jenco Foundation Fundraiser at the Fish.
By Jack Wright - 2/6/2002
Some of the Athens area's finest entertainers will perform Friday, February
15, at 7 p.m. at the Swindlefish to raise money for the Jenco Foundation.
The foundation was established by Terry Anderson in 2001 to support individuals whose work contributes to the dignity and sense of worth of people living in the Appalachian regions of Ohio and West Virginia. Ticket sales from the February 15 Appalachian Valentine Concert will be used to partially fund the first-ever $5,000 Jenco Award, whose recipient will be announced later this year.
|
The evening is intended as a celebration of various traditional art forms native to the Appalachian region. The musical lineup for the mostly acoustic concert will include the Athens County Ruffians; Junebug and Catfish with Chris Biester; Frank McDermott; the McGovern Brothers; Matthew McElroy; and Jack Wright and Storyteller-Rick Duff.
|
Members of the Southeast Ohio Traditional Dance Society, with callers David Mould and Stephanie Hysmith, will give a demonstration and keep the crowd stepping high. Noted storyteller Rick Duff will also share a yarn with the audience.
Tickets for the benefit are $20 per person and will go on sale February 2 at the Swindlefish, Blue Gator, Skippers Bar and Grill and the Blue Eagle. Snacks and soft drinks will be provided, and a cash bar will be available. For more information, call 740-594-7271 Tickets on sale at: Skippers, Blue Eagle, Blue Gator.
In a press conference 10/30/01, Anderson explained that the foundation is dedicated to the memory of Martin Lawrence Jenco, a Catholic priest who was imprisoned with Anderson in Lebanon.
He recalled Jenco, who died of cancer in 1996, as "a dear man, the closest thing to a saint that I've ever met." He said the priest spent his life ministering to the oppressed of the world, working with Australian aboriginal alcoholics, California migrant workers, Indian lepers and Cambodian refugees.
Anderson said that Jenco, who helped him get through his years as a hostage, also taught him that "a meaningful life is one that is lived in service to other people."
