THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 24, 1995 TAG: 9511210156
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: HOLIDAY HELPERS
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
Not all Christmas toys arrive by sleigh.
Some needy children in Virginia Beach will be receiving a bus load of presents this Christmas, thanks to Gallop Ski Tours and the Marine Corps' Toys For Tots program.
The two groups have teamed up to sponsor a country concert Dec. 1 at Pavilion, where admission will be one new, unopened toy per family.
``Betty and Ray Gallop decided they wanted to do something,'' said Gallop Ski Tours comptroller Rickey Ives. ``They asked Rick Bastow and me to come up with an idea. I said, `Why not do a benefit concert?' and Rick went wild.''
Bastow, operations director, called the Pavilion and learned the theater was available Dec. 1. Neither he nor Ives could believe their good fortune.
``When you think about this and how things have happened,'' said Ives, ``it's like divine intervention.''
Having a hall is one thing, but what do you do to attract a crowd?
Thanks to some family connections, the next part was relatively easy.
Ives' nephew is Troy Hedspeth, a 13-year-old who is one of the hottest country and western performers around. A regular at Virginia's Li'l Ole Opry in Mathews County, he is in demand at events such as the Pungo Strawberry Festival and the Franklin/Southampton County Fair, where he has performed on the same stage with such headliners as Ty England.
Troy's grandmother also works at Gallop.
Troy agreed to do the concert for free. Also appearing will be Linda Smith and the Shades of Country (the house band from the Li'l Ole Opry) and the Li'l Ole Opry singers. The Flatland Cloggers will open the show. The three-hour concert will include a half-hour of Christmas carols with audience participation and, said Ives, ``a special surprise `knock your socks off' ending.'' WCMS's Joe Hoppel will be the master of ceremonies.
The annual Gingerbread Festival's opening celebration takes place at the Pavilion at 7 p.m. the same evening. The concert will follow with the cloggers at 7:45 and the singing at 8.
Anyone arriving without a toy can get in by making a cash donation; the donations will be used to purchase toys - at cost - from Virginia Beach Sports, for the 11- to 14-year-olds who frequently get overlooked by Toys For Tots donors. Virginia Beach Sports is also donating additional toys. MEMO: For more information, call 424-1340.
ILLUSTRATION: Barbara Hamill, left, Betsy Gallop and Rick Bastow were the
organizers behind the Gallop Ski Tours and Marine Corps' Toys For
Tots program.
Photo by
DAWSON MILLS
KNOW A HELPER?
Through December we will be profiling individuals, businesses and
organizations that are reaching out to help others during the
holidays. If you'd like to nominate the goodwill shown by someone
you know, send us some information by fax at 490-7235 or by mail to:
Beacon Holiday Helpers, 4565 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach,
Va. 23462.
by CNB