Grande Prairie's Tenille Townes performing during the 2019 Big Hearts for Big Kids fundraising concert at Evergreen Park (Photo: Sheena Roszell)

By Emily Keller

Community

Big Hearts for Big Kids to go virtual for 2020 fundraiser

Jun 18, 2020 | 2:03 PM

This year’s 11th Annual Big Hearts for Big Kids fundraising concert will be going virtual.

On June 30 at 6 p.m. MST, the concert will stream live from Nashville on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.

The fundraiser, started by country music star and Grande Prairie native Tenille Townes, raises money and awareness for the Sunrise House Youth Emergency Shelter.

Tanya Wald, Executive Director of Sunrise House, says that the decision to hold the fundraiser this year despite the current pandemic rested on Tenille and the organizers.

“And (they) just really wanted to find a way to both keep the event going, as well as to continue to support Sunrise House and knowing how important the event is to us and for our programs and just our day-to-day work we are doing with our youth, they found a way and we’re so excited.”

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Other artists lined up for the fundraiser include Dierks Bentley, Brandi Carlile and Luke Combs.

The fundraiser began in 2010 when Townes created a sponsor letter and developed a show with some of her friends. At the time, Sunrise House was struggling financially and even had to close for almost a year.

In the first year, they raised over $30,000, and last year, over $436,000 was raised. Overall, the annual event has raised over $1,900,000.

“It has truly become the reason why we’re able to do the level of work that we’re doing with our kids. It has enabled us to increase some of our programs, so the ability to add-on things like family supports,” said Wald. “And now being able to do more in the community like keeping our kids housed that are living independently.”

At last year’s event, it was also announced that Sunrise House would begin developing a new location with more space and beds. Wald says that while the COVID-19 situation has put the project on hold temporarily, they are still moving forward with the plan.

She says that this virtual version of the fundraiser will enable those who may be unable to attend the usual in-person concert to join in, and asks people to donate if they are able or to just watch and spread awareness of the event.