WS Chronicle

Triad residents had a spirit-filled, star-powered and inspirational experience Thursday night, May 21, as some of the biggest names in gospel music performed to raise funds and awareness for The Ronald McDonald House of Winston-Salem.

McDonald’s 2015 Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour stopped in its fifth stop of Greensboro, where award-winning performers Donald Lawrence, Dorinda Clark Cole, DeWayne Woods, Ricky Dillard, Tasha Page Lockhart, Lonnie Hunter and comedienne Small Fire presented a free concert at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, on Alamance Church Road.

Stellar Award winner DeWayne Woods said that he has enjoyed the tour so far.

“It’s been absolutely amazing. The response from the people, of course, is overwhelming. Turning away hundreds of people for a cause that is as remarkable as this is definitely remarkable,” he said. “Of course the musical experience is great too. It feels like you are experiencing a family doing what they love to do.”

The live show was directed by Donald Lawrence this year and included a tribute to the late singer Andrae Crouch before artists performed their hit songs.

The 14-city concert series focuses on the importance of giving back to the community by supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities. An offering is taken up at the concert, and all proceeds go toward helping families at the area Ronald McDonald House.

On May 21, $11,167 was donated to the nonprofit, a $2,180 difference from last year’s $8,987 that was brought back for local residents.

“The energy, enthusiasm and the spirituality that the performers bring to the community, the sharing of themselves and their songs, which is their personal testimonies, is so uplifting and brings such joy to the community,” said Chuck Kraft, executive director of The Ronald McDonald House in Winston-Salem. “It’s the perfect family event.”

The Ronald McDonald House of Winston-Salem provides housing for families of children who are receiving treatment in the community’s medical facilities. It offers programs for physical and emotional support, education and referral services that benefit the entire family.

Woods said he had an opportunity to speak with different families from the charity and calls the program’s ability to take care of, not just the children, but the families as well, phenomenal.

“A lot of times, kids will have problems and it will become such a burden on the family. This is really what gospel music is all about. Not only are we doing stuff to inspire people, but our lives and our ministry has an effect on the people outside who may not be able to get to the house of God. We still have an impact in the world,” he said.

The tour’s host, Lonnie Hunter, also performed this year. He said that every place has been full, allowing them to raise a lot of money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

“I get to interact with the crowd on both levels. Through the ministry of song and also through hosting, which is talking to them, being funny with them and engaging them,” he said of pulling double duty.

Hunter said the tour gives him the ability to share God’s anointing and for those in need to reap the benefits. He visited one of the houses in Chicago and got a chance to see how the operation worked. He said that the visit changed his focus on why he participates in the tour.

“I think when God places something in you for somebody else, the anointing is for somebody else …,” he said. “To have that anointing and just sit at home is a disservice to the kingdom, so that’s why we do this across the country.”

The Winston-Salem location, one of five in the state, offers 35 bedrooms with private baths, living rooms, playrooms, a playground and a kitchen for families who reside there while the children are being treated in area hospitals. Families are only asked to donate $10 for every night they stay, if possible, to offset the money to operate the home.

“The majority of our families are unable to pay anything. So the immediate impact is that 1,100 visits were paid for. The generosity and outpouring of love for the community for the families that we serve is inspiring,” Kraft said.
Woods said that he believes that this will be one of the long-standing tours that will continually have an impact on the region.
“This will be something that you want the community to always look forward to,” he said. “You want the people to know what kind of impact you’ll have each year.”

Kraft hopes that the tour continues to grow, allowing the agency to continue to serve families in need.

For more information about the tour, visit www.365Black.com. For more information about the Ronald McDonald House of Winston-Salem, visit www.rmhws.com or call 336-723-0228. For more information on Woods, visit www.dewaynewoods.rocks. For more information on Hunter, visit www.lonniehuntermusic.com.