Raise the Praise

For the 8th year in a row I attended Raise the Praise, a benefit concert created to raise money for Ben's Hope Foundation. The concert is held at Eden United Church of Christ in Edwardsville, Illinois and takes place the weekend before Thanksgiving every year. The concert is put on to raise money to benefit residents of Beverly Farm.

Beverly Farm is a community of approximately 500 residents in Godfrey, Illinois who suffer from mental and physical disabilities. It is a non-profit organization that was designed to help the residents with life skills and provide any medical care necessary. Beverly Farm sits on 220 acres and is available to any adults eighteen and older with mental and physical disabilities.

There are between 40 and 50 members of the choir and about nine band members that donate their time each year. Kent and Bonni Schutte are the creators of the concert. Kent's son, Ben, who is a resident at Beverly Farm is the inspiration for Raise the Praise. With Bonni as the director of the choir and Kent playing guitar in the band, they are constantly busy with every demand the concert brings. Preparing for this event begins in August with a kick off party to get everyone involved. There are practices once a week and occasional meetings in between. It takes hours, days, and months to get everything perfect, but in the end it is all worth it. Every single dollar given goes to Beverly Farm - the concert does not cost any money to attend and anyone can go; the money is raised solely on free will donations. Since the most recent concert this year on November 21st and 22nd Raise the Praise has donated over $41,000 to Beverly Farm in the past eight years. Although a lot of hard work and effort go into this event, it has helped raise thousands of dollars for the residents who can not care for themselves.