Acoustic gospel group The Isaacs are the headlining performers at a benefit for the Just Keep Smiling foundation, to be held at Gardendale First Baptist Church on March 28 at 7 p.m.

By Adam Smith

The North Jefferson News



A Gardendale foundation is hosting a concert this month as a gift to the community and to raise funds and awareness for their cause.

Gospel group The Isaacs, as well as gospel entertainers George Weeks, Ted Cook, Jody Dial and Rich Valenta will perform on March 28 at Gardendale First Baptist Church as part of a benefit show for Just Keep Smiling.

The Gardendale-based non-profit foundation provides funds to families with critically ill children. The volunteer group pays house notes, car notes and utility bills for parents who have to leave work to be with a child in the hospital. In other cases, the foundation has made arrangements for a child to leave the state for treatment.

Sue Jeffreys of Just Keep Smiling said the foundation is continuing to grow and is finding new ways to help families.

“We’re trying to reach families by serving lunch once a month at the hospitals and serving lunch at the Ronald McDonald House,” Jeffreys said. “We’re continually looking for new ways to reach out.”

This month’s concert is the second fund-raising show for the group. The last show was held in 2006 and also featured The Isaacs, who hail from Lafollette, Tenn. The group, whose members include Lily Isaacs and her children Ben Isaacs, Sonya Isaacs and Becky Isaacs Bowman, have also appeared as part of the Gaither Homecoming Series.

Jeffreys said she heard the group at a concert and approached them about appearing at the 2006 Just Keep Smiling benefit.

“They had a real heart about what we were doing,” she said. “They were very helpful last time. They even gave us half the proceeds of the sales of their merchandise that night.”

About 1,300 people attended the previous benefit, but Jeffreys said they’d love to have even more at the next concert.

The group has not set a goal on the amount of money they’d like to raise and are not charging for tickets. Instead they are asking those in attendance to give from their heart. Jeffreys said the 2006 concert raised more money through donations than if the foundation had sold tickets. “If there’s someone who can’t afford it [a donation], they can just enjoy the show,” she said.

Last year, a charity motorcycle ride was held on the morning of the Magnolia Festival to benefit Just Keep Smiling. About 65 riders turned out to take part in the ride which started in Gardendale and traveled up to Guntersville and back.

The Just Keep Smiling benefit concert will be held at Gardendale First Baptist Church at 7 p.m.

For more information on Just Keep Smiling, visit www.justkeepsmiling.org. For more information on The Isaacs, visit www.myspace.com/theisaacsmyspace