Tonic Sol Fa to headline this year's YMCA Cruise Dinner
Annual fundraising event is April 24WORTHINGTON — The YMCA Cruise Dinner is just one week away and, following in line with its year of change, this year’s format is going to be a little bit different.
By: Julie Buntjer, Worthington Daily Globe
WORTHINGTON — The YMCA Cruise Dinner is just one week away and, following in line with its year of change, this year’s format is going to be a little bit different.
There is much to celebrate, from a new YMCA facility to the 25th anniversary of its humble beginnings in Worthington.
The April 24 event will be in the gymnasium on the Minnesota West Community and Technical College campus, located right next door to the new Worthington Area YMCA-DeGroot Family Center on Collegeway.
Also, instead of bringing in an inspiring speaker, the YMCA has decided to inspire its guests with music, a cappella style.
Headlining the event will be Tonic Sol Fa, a four-man singing group that hails from the Midwest. In addition, the Worthington High School VOX Choir will perform the invocation and sing a trio of songs prior to Tonic Sol Fa’s performance.
Andy Johnson, YMCA executive director, said the new location for this year’s Cruise Dinner will allow for more people to attend.
“Also, the really big reason is for the entertainment,” he added.
Local high school students will receive free tickets to attend the concert-only portion of the evening.
The event begins with a 5:30 p.m. social, followed by dinner at 6:45 p.m. and Tonic Sol Fa concert at approximately 7:35 p.m.
Tickets are still available for the event, and may be purchased from any YMCA board member or at the YMCA facility.
As has been a tradition in each of the last 24 years the YMCA has hosted its cruise dinner, the grand prize drawing for ticketholders is a vacation package valued at $2,000.
“It used to be a cruise that you got, but we allow them to do whatever they want,” said Johnson.
Cash prizes are also awarded, and everyone who purchases a ticket to the event is entered in the drawing.
The Cruise Dinner is the biggest fundraising project for the YMCA, said Johnson. Proceeds from the event are used to help offset membership fees and program costs for families that would otherwise be unable to afford to participate in programs at the facility.
“All the proceeds from this event go to support our youth and family programming,” he added. “The demand for assistance this year is coming in at a record pace. We have already awarded assistance to almost as many families this year as we did most of the last year all together. That’s why this program and its success is so important to our work this year.”
Johnson said the goal is to raise approximately $20,000 at this year’s Cruise Dinner.
Tags: worthington area ymca, news, worthington
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