Nikki D & the Brown Sisters
By: Anita Thomas
On May 22, The Joyce Reader Foundation will be hosting a Rock the Park event at the Fountain City Amphitheater in Bryan from 12-9:30 PM. Admission is by free-will donation.
Rock the Park will have a little something for everybody. The bands alone will bring a full spectrum of music for the young and the old.
“JENN/SINGS” will tear into the 60s and rock you all the way to the present. “Nikki D & THE BROWN SISTERS” will be ripping a steel guitar, better known in Guitar World magazine as “The Jimmy
Hendrix of sacred steel”, and they’ll be singing the gospel & blues.” THE ALTERNATE-STRINGS” will bring some alternative music from the High School students.
“THE SURVIVORS” will throw you back to the 60s era, and “THE HOLBROOK BROTHERS”, will wrap it up with a variety of pop music from the 80s & 90s.
Pences Vendors will also be on sight to provide sandwiches, beverages, kettle corn, and corn dogs.
There will also be raffle tickets for sale, one for 50/50, another for the TESTAMENT TATTOO located in Bryan, Oh. and a Chief Super Market Gift Card, all donated to help raise funds for the Lucas family.
In the event of rain, the event will be moved to the Bryan Ice Rink.
Autumn and Josh Lucas both passed away in 2020. Autumn Lucas passed from an illness in June, and six months later Josh Lucas passed in an industrial accident, leaving behind two minor children.
Calla (16) and Tavis (14) are both members of the Bryan High School orchestra. However, here’s the amazing part of their story.
Calla and Tavis’s friends at school saw they needed help and went on a mission to find it. They expressed their concerns to the Orchestra Director, Mr. Gordon, who in turn, reached out to “The Joyce Memorial Foundation”, who answered the call.
This is the first time the foundation has reached out to help under these kinds of circumstances. The foundation’s mission is to support the Bryan City arts by providing financial assistance to the orchestra, band, and chorus programs.
The foundation donates funds to children who cannot afford the expense of musical instruments. They have also assisted Bryan City School with an Electric piano and choir robes for the high school choir.
However, when the foundation heard the children’s plight they jumped into action and sponsored the event.
I asked Debra Beevers what she believed her sister would think of her doing this event. Ms. Beevers said, “My sister Joyce would be proud of the work we’ve done in her name.
In fact, I think she would be honored. Joyce was a pillar of strength to the Bryan community, and her achievements were many, and even though she has passed, she lives on through the work we do in her name.”
Debra Beevers would like to give thanks to Spangler Candy, Chief Supermarkets, and Castle Windows in Bryan, Ohio who have helped support this event.
If you cannot attend this event and would like to make a personal donation to this cause please visit First Premier Bank (First Federal prior to name change) on High Street in bryan.
Anita can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com