WS Chronicle

Living Is Finally Enjoyable (L.I.F.E.) W-S, Inc., will present its 9th Festival for the Homeless on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2-6 p.m., at Gateway Commons Park, 1580 Oak St., Winston-Salem. This is a rain-or-shine event.

Services that will be provided to the homeless population during the festival include live entertainment, haircuts, food, clothing, and more. L.I.F.E. W-S, Inc., board members will run the Kids’ Zone.

The food, clothing, and services are for our guests in need. The entertainment is for everyone! 

Ronald Reginald King, the Voice of the Festival for the Homeless, will be the master of ceremonies. King is a retired battalion chief of the City of Asheville Fire Department, an announcer with WBMU.net, entrepreneur, novelist, poet, playwright, activist against domestic violence, and more. 

Entertainment includes Mel’s Poppin’ Percussion; Saundra Ross, the Queen of the Festival; Real Love; spoken-word artist Spencer Aubrey; singer-songwriter Tiffany Thompson; Abby Catoe; The Camel City Revelators; DJBEBOP; and the OSP Band will perform. EJ Production (Earnest Johnson) will provide sound production. 

When Melvin Moungle – Mel’s Poppin’ Percussion – was a child, he could be found “almost always beatin’ on tables.” He loves that sudden feeling that comes from percussion, the sharing of energy through his own expression with others. He loves all things drums. “My wonderful mother supported my curiosity and got me a snare drum, to my surprise, shortly after I made my desire to be a drummer known, not long after seeing the movie ‘Drumline,’ and the rest has been history,” he says. Moungle has a special connection with the Djembe, a percussion instrument that spans multiple styles. 

Known as the Queen of the Festival for the Homeless, Saundra Ross is constantly in demand. Ross’ vocal talents have taken her around the world – from the Caribbean to the Middle East. Singing since childhood, Ross has a wealth of experience in all forms of music. Although classically trained, as a member of the band, Envision, Ross concentrates on the jazz and R&B stylings in the mode of Jill Scott, Chaka Khan, Dianne Reeves, Etta James, and Anita Baker. The band recently opened for KEM at the Carolina Fairgrounds Annex, and totally rocked the house with songs by everyone from George Clinton to Prince.

Real Love – Raymond and Kim Larkin – are inspiring singers, creative songwriters, recording artists and life-long best friends in marriage. Real Love Music, Inc., was ignited through their passion for music and each other. Since 2005, the couple has performed for countless events. Often their style is compared to phenomenal duo groups such as Bebe & Cece Winans, Ashford & Simpson, and Marvin Gaye & Tammy Terrell, but they have their own unique sound.

Spencer Aubrey is a creative connector, curator, poet, and musician currently living in Winston-Salem. He is passionate about supporting the community and creating platforms and opportunities for marginalized people to have their voices heard. You can see Spencer at many events in the city performing under his pseudonym, p.s. edekot. 

Tiffany Thompson is an award-winning songwriter, singer, speaker, and community leader whose mission is to promote human flourishing. She has performed in front of more than 200,000 people on 200+ unique stages. Her passion for helping people unlock their full creative potential is contagious.  

Abby Catoe is a native of Winston-Salem but currently lives in Yadkin County. Abby developed her love of music from the age of five, playing piano and later picking up a guitar at the age of 12. She began writing songs shortly thereafter and has recorded and released an album, “No Fear,” in 2023. A mother of two and grandmother of three, Abby is an ordained pastor and has deep love and compassion for all people. 

DJ BEBOP is a Winston-Salem native who has been DJ-ing since 1984. BEBOP is founder and president of Global Music and News – The Legend DJs and W-S Chapter head of the International DJ Café. For information, contact Djaybebop929@gmail.com.

The O.S.P. Band has dazzled audiences for the past 15 years. The band has won the FCEA Awards R&B Band of the Year in 2014 and 2018 and was Featured Highlights Awards Cover Band of the Year in 2018. Their large arsenal of songs includes cover tunes from today’s Top 40, R&B, Classic Rock, Motown, Beach Music, and Golden Oldies from the 1960s through the 1990s. The O.S.P. Band is committed to bringing the most exhilarating, high-energy, dynamic performances possible.

The Camel City Revelators is a collective of local musicians from different bands who get together to raise money and awareness for various projects. The lineup changes from event to event. The folks who will perform at the Festival for the Homeless are Mark Vestich, Dan Dockery, John Comer, G. Michael Cochran, and John Gippert.

Please join us to support and get to know your Winston-Salem community better – both the housed and the unhoused.

The mission of L.I.F.E. W-S, Inc., is to provide transitional housing and additional resources to homeless families with children so that they can be safe and secure while in the process of obtaining affordable housing. We believe that all families in Winston-Salem deserve the security, stability, and dignity of having a home.

L.I.F.E. W-S, Inc., is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit service organization. The founder and executive director is Kimberly Hinton-Robinson. Current board of directors comprise Stuart Russell, chair; Dr. Mark Oliver, vice chair; Kenny Lathan, treasurer; David Levine, vice treasurer; Lynn Felder, secretary; Saundra Ross, Van Cundiff, Allan Younger, Kenneth Crumb, and Jennifer Castillo.

Admission to the event is free. Donations to support the Festival and to help L.I.F.E. W-S, Inc., continue its mission may be sent to Living Is Finally Enjoyable W-S, Inc., P.O. Box 1, Winston-Salem, NC 27102. Our CashApp handle is $LifeincwsHomeless. PayPal email address is lifeincws1@gmail.com.

For more information, call 336-529-5680, email lifeincws1@gmail.com, or visit https://lifewsinc.org.