From the press release
(Champaign, IL) The Prairie Dragon Paddlers, Illinois’ First Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Team, will hold their signature fundraiser, Sing for the Health of It, on Thursday, April 5 from 7p to 10p at the City Center in Champaign Illinois. All proceeds will benefit the Research Center at Illinois and Prairie Dragon Paddlers in their ongoing support of community breast cancer survivors.
Ten area singing finalists will compete to win the grand prize trip to Nashville, Tennessee; these finalists will perform in a variety of genres—from pop to classical to folk, to country—singing karaoke, a capella, and with live accompaniment. Several area guest singers will also perform in order to support the cause, including a “mayoral duet” by Champaign Mayor Deb Feinen and Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin, and individual performances by Rohit Bhargava, Director of the Cancer Research Center at Illinois and local physician Lester Fahrner, M.D. along with several of his Christie Clinic colleagues.
Until March 29, twenty semi-finalists are competing for the top ten spots; their audition performances are posted on the Prairie Dragon Paddler website (prairiedragonpaddlers.org) where they receive votes from the public ($1 = 1 vote). The top ten vote-getters from on-line voting will perform at the event, where they will again receive votes ($1 = 1 vote) throughout the evening to determine the grand prize winner.
The twenty semi-finalists were chosen by judges from a total number of 43 singers who auditioned at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on February 3, 2018. Many of the singers volunteered to audition because breast cancer had personally touched their lives and they wanted to help raise money to fight the disease and support survivors.
Tickets to the event are $40; $60 for VIP balcony seating; or $300 for a reserved table for eight. Tickets can be purchased online, from a Prairie Dragon Paddler, or at the door (assuming the event is not sold out). Sponsorships are also available.
The Prairie Dragon Paddlers mission is to to inspire hope and contribute to the health and well-being of breast cancer survivors by promoting wellness through dragon boating while providing outreach and educational initiatives in support of breast cancer awareness and research. Prairie Dragon Paddlers is a 501[c][3] nonprofit organization. For more information about the Prairie Dragon Paddlers, visit prairiedragonpaddlers.org.
Diamond Sponsors for the event include Debra Bolgla, in memory of Melissa Lynch, and Ecofluent. The Prairie Dragon Paddlers are sponsored by Christie Clinic.
For more information, contact Kelly Bradham, Founder and President, Prairie Dragon Paddlers by email or at 217.621.0959.