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Macomb, IL – The spirit of giving and the sound of music both make the holiday season special. This week, the two will be combined on Macomb's Courthouse Square.
The event is a Christmas concert by Macomb Unplugged. It begins Friday, December 9, 6:30pm, in Taylor Hall.
Western Illinois Regional Council Executive Director Suzan Nash said admission is a free will donation to the WIRC's Project Santa program.
"Cash and canned food are our two biggest needs," Nash said.
She said Project Santa provides clothes, toys, books, and more to families. Each family will also receive one or two food baskets, depending on the family's size.
"We do have some large families this year that have up to six children," Nash said.
Musician Bob Chaplin said the performers also get something out of the show.
"We get the opportunity to get up in front of an audience to play and sing," Chaplin said. "We (also) have the knowledge that by doing this and collecting the money that on Christmas morning there will be a lot of kids with a smile on their face."
It has been a few years since Unplugged performed Christmas a show for Project Santa. Chaplin said he decided to help organize a show this year after hearing from people who wondered when Unplugged would do another concert.
"As they said in The Blues Brothers, 'It's time to get the band back together,'" Chaplin said.
Unplugged will include performances by a variety of musicians. One of them is Bill Maakestad, who helped Chaplin organize the show. Maakestad said the show will include a mix of holiday and non-holiday tunes.
"We will finish up with holiday tunes. Some that everyone knows and some old favorites," Maakestad said.
Maakestad said it's become apparent that an increasing number people need assistance, and many of them have children. He said a program such as Project Santa is irreplaceable.