Jaret Dorman (left) and Steve Runyan with food stuffs to be packed into 'Food for Kids' kits distributed to elementary school age children, an extension to meals during weekends.

HUGHESVILLE – The joining of two ideas suggest finding the fun in FUNdraising and the benefits are to be multiple as well.

The goal of an upcoming ‘Summer Sing’ is to generate funds for the ‘Food for Kids’ program.

Sara and Brian Scott, Jaret Dorman, Emily Eck, and Steve Runyan are reaching out to the community in a unique way. These individuals, along with adherents of the Hughesville United Methodist Church, have taken on the joy of collecting food for the needs of local children.

To that end, a concert is planned with vocalists encouraged to participate in the newly established East Lycoming Choral Ensemble (ELCE). Auditions will not be held, only practices on three consecutive evenings with a concert on the final night of Friday, July 20, at 7 p.m. in Christ’s UMC Social Hall on Main Street, Hughesville.

The festival-like event will be directed by Brian Scott, East Lycoming elementary school music and choral teacher and choir director at Christ UMC. Together with spouse Sara, a vocal professor at Lycoming College, they observed that, “As many choirs are on summer vacation, we find it an opportune time to start something new and exciting for the community.”

For their first joint musical event, Sara and Brian Scott are forming a choral ensemble with its first mission being a concert with a free-will offering gathering funds for the 'Food for Kids' program hosted and sponsored by Christ United Methodist Church, Hughesville.

The couple were looking for a musical project to begin together. “It’s challenging to start a choir from the ground up, but we are enjoying the process and look on it as giving back to the community. . … and make music in the process,” Sara said.

Lana Force will be the accompanist with participants thus far joining the effort from Montgomery, Muncy, Hughesville, South Williamsport and Williamsport.

Entitled ‘Summer Sing,’ the concert will feature inspirational choral works and hymn favorites by various composers.

Examples include “Let All the World in Every Corner Sing,” and “I Choose Love.” Also planned is an audience sing-along of favorite hymns.

The free-will offering in its entirety will go to the ‘Food for Kids’ program initiated in January 2015 by then Hughesville High School students Emily Eck and Jaret Dorman. The program evolved from their involvement in Junior Leadership Lycoming, and their assignment to find and institute a subject for social change.

According to Dorman, “One morning in her remarks at church, Pastor Jane noted many kids are in the school lunch program, and posed the question as to where do weekend meals come from? The pastor challenged the church people to find a solution.”

It was the answer to the student’s assignment, which resulted in initiating the program which operates through the school supervised by Mrs. Oden.

Dorman said that, “Monetary donations came from various organizations and non-perishable food items were ordered through Sam’s Club. As 75 food kits were prepared for the district’s three elementary schools, uniformity was needed. A total of 18 students from Oden’s Spanish III class picked up and packed the food. Distribution is anonymous.”

As Eck and Dorman have since graduated and are off to college, the program continues through the Hughesville UMC, and overseen by Steve Runyan.

Of the experience, Dorman said, “I feel better knowing people don’t go hungry, something thankfully I’ve not experienced.” Currently, Dorman attends Lycoming College with corporate communications or economics as majors.

For further information about joining the upcoming ELCE event as a vocalist or an attendee, like them on Facebook at East Lycoming Choral Ensemble or email eastlycomingchoralensemble@gmail.com.