Barbergators “Almost Father’s Day Concert” to benefit Stop Children’s Cancer
Press release from Barbergators
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Barbergators Chorus will present a concert to benefit “Stop Children’s Cancer” on Sunday, June 11. The Barbergators’ “Almost Father’s Day Concert” will take place at 3 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in downtown Gainesville. The concert is open to the public, and donations will be accepted at the door. The Barbergators will donate a portion of the proceeds to Stop Children’s Cancer.
“Cancer is one of the largest causes of death in children,” said Dr. Bill Slayton, chief of pediatric hematology/oncology at UF and bass singer in the chorus. “Stop Children’s Cancer raises money to fund cancer research.” In fact, Stop Children’s Cancer supported a year of Dr. Slayton’s research when he was a fellow at UF in the 1990s. That research funding directly affects the lives of children in our community.
The concert will feature the Barbergators Chorus and chapter quartets, including “Time of Our Lives” and “Dynamix”–and since it’s “Almost Father’s Day,” dad jokes may happen.
The Barbergators will perform a family-friendly mix of traditional barbershop, gospel, and even a few show tunes from movies such as “Toy Story” and “The Wedding Singer.”
The Barbergators came out of the pandemic shutdown with a new mission to make music to bring people together more often. This concert hopes to bring people together to support Stop Children’s Cancer. “We came out of the pandemic wanting to use our music to help our community,” said Dave Jacobs, president of the chorus. “We’ve included a charitable cause in every performance since we’ve come back. We’re really proud to support Stop Children’s Cancer this time.”
As the chorus approaches its 50th anniversary, it’s been adding songs from its early years to its repertoire. “We’re getting back to arrangements from 40 and 50 years ago,” said the group’s director, Mark Slamka. “These are the sounds I grew up with in my father’s chorus. In a lot of ways, we’re paying homage to the men who started the Barbergators.”
The Barbergators Chorus is a chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society. The chapter is a 501(3)(c) non-profit organization. The chorus rehearses Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. at Grace Presbyterian Church, 3146 NW 13th St, Gainesville, FL 32609. Singers and visitors are always welcome!