SAUK RAPIDS -- A number of local musicians will be featured in an on-line Christmas concert next week. Tanner's Team Foundation is hosting "A Very Merry Christmas Concert" on Wednesday, December 16th at 7:00 p.m. on its Facebook page as well as on YouTube.

The Sauk Rapids-based nonprofit came-up with the idea for the social distanced fundraiser after having all three of their main events canceled earlier this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Board Member Gail Cruikshank says, while fundraising has been difficult this year, the need to help families in central Minnesota has been greater than ever with November being the single largest month ever in the foundation's 10-year history.

In fact, it is our single largest month ever.  We gave out 16 grants in just a one month period, that's over $16,000 that were given to families that do have a need.  Just to compare that a little bit, during the whole second quarter we gave out that same number of grants, so November was a huge spike and December is starting out just as strong.

Tanner's Team awards grants of up to $1,000 to families who have a child diagnosed with a life-threatening illness to help them pay bills like a mortgage payment or utility bill.

Board member Mary Swingle says a number of local artists signed-on right away to participate in the concert.

Artists from Michael Shynes to even Aaron Clafton who is an up and coming country music artist down in Nashville are performing.  We even have a special guest who was a Tanner's Team recipient of a grant who has gone through her own life-threatening battle and she will be performing for us as well and that's just a special element of the concert.

Other artists include Walter's Wheelhouse, Harper's Chord, Kat Perkins, Paul Diethelm, Ted Manderfeld, and Justin Ploof.

During the concert, for every $1,000 raised St. Cloud Financial Credit Union will match that up to $5,000.

WJON has signed-on as the media sponsor for the event.

If you can't watch the concert, but you want to make a donation to Tanner's Team Foundation, you can go to their website.

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