Today, May 19, 2022 marks the two-year-anniversary of the historic flooding in our area. To celebrate the survivor spirit of the community, and to honor the many helpers who assisted with rebuilding and recovery, Coleman Faith United Methodist Church is hosting a concert on Saturday, May 21st, at the Sanford Centennial Museum.
Anna Merillat, Sanford Rising event coordinator, says she wasn’t sure that the event initially needed to be an annual occurrence, but community members expressed their excitement for the return of the event.
“The thought process was, a lot of the people who weren’t really ready to celebrate last year, because they were still in the throes of recovery, might be ready to be more celebratory this year,” Merillat says.
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Circuit Band is scheduled to perform.
After the floods, Merillat says the community of Sanford came together with helping hands of residents in every part of town. “It was everywhere,” she says. “People were helping people they didn’t even necessarily know. The help came from everywhere.”
The concerts have raised nearly $4,000, which has gone into the funding for recovery work that the church does locally, says Pastor Scott Marsh. “We’ve done 1200 hours over the course of the year, in volunteer hours directly for flood recovery and flood relief,” Marsh says.
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The concert will include Kristine Goodwin.
Last year, the concert featured Larry McCray, an award-winning blues artist from the Bay region. This year’s lineup includes musicians all local to the Midland/Sanford area, including DustyBonez, Steve and Jessica Roth, John Poma and Sara Glynn-Dishaw, Kristine Goodwin, Circuit Band, and more.
The
event is free, but donations ($10/person suggested) will go towards compensating the performers. Food vendors include Elvira’s and AT Concessions. Museum tours will also be available. Music starts at 3 p.m., followed by a drum circle led by Mariannae Turnquist to cap off the event, which ends at 7 p.m.
“This was just simply a way for us to have an event for people to come out to, to have it be something that could be a celebration,” Pastor Marsh says, “and also just give a space for people to lament if they still need or want to do that, and to make it all about community.”
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Johnny Hunt
Ann Sigsby, concert organizer, hopes people can come out and enjoy the many events that are happening in Sanford that day, including
Miss Sanford Pageant, weiner dog races, and the grand opening weekend of
Crazy Vines Winery.
Field parking is available north of the museum, and Pastor Marsh encourages attendees to bring their own chairs.
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