Photo By Master Sgt. Jeff Lowry | Country music fans wait file into Martinsville High School, Nov. 1, 2008, prior to the...... read more read more
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By Staff Sgt. Jeff Lowry
Indiana National Guard
MARTINSVILLE, Ind. - In June, Indiana National Guard Soldiers helped the community here following the floods. They answered the call again on Nov. 1, 2008, when the town staged the Morgan County Flood Relief Concert to help flood victims.
For Indiana National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Michael Hacker, the benefit concert and the Guard support of his hometown in June were special moments.
"It pulls at my heartstrings to see one family support my other family" said Hacker, a lifelong Martinsville resident and Guard recruiter. "It's an awesome thing to see this and to see my town rebuild [itself]."
Guard recruiters supported pre-concert festivities with a rock-climbing wall and an inflatable obstacle course.
Tracy Lawrence was the concert's headliner; the show also included Bryan White, Jimmy Wayne, Martinsville-based Bigg Country, and the Tennessee National Guard's own Darby Ledbetter, who is a maintenance supervisor with the Support Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment.
"The National Guard is a part of me, it's who I am," said Ledbetter. "I came to support my brothers and sisters in uniform here in Indiana. They asked me to come, so here I am."
The benefit concert was the idea of Rob Helms, Bigg Country drummer, and Phil Deckerd, Martinsville mayor.
"We put our heads together and decided we'd put on a fund-raiser such as this, and through the generosity of many of our community residents and sponsors we were able to do this," said Deckerd, who stated they also had the help of a 30-person committee.
The mayor was grateful to the Guard's involvement for this event and its help in the June floods.
"The Guard has come through and helped us in so many ways," said Deckerd. "They assisted our residents in so many ways, so we felt like it's a good joint venture, cooperative venture, working with our Guard unit."
According to the benefit concert's website, morgancountyreliefconcert.org, estimated damage ran in excess of $10 million, and more than 1,000 Martinsville homes suffered flood-related damage in June.
The concert and silent auction raised money to help with relief efforts. Approximately 4,200 fans attended the show in Martinsville High School's John R. Wooden Gymnasium.
| Date Taken: | 11.06.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 11.06.2008 15:56 |
| Story ID: | 26023 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 185 |
| Downloads: | 109 |
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