Family Reunion Concert is benefit for mission church

Two families that have been making music locally for decades will present a Family Reunion Concert at 4 p.m. Aug. 16 at United Lutheran Church as a fundraiser for the church's mission congregation, Cruz Del Sur Lutheran Church in Bariloche, Argentina.

The Don and Verna Fricke family, along with the Randy and Susan Johnson family, performed a concert 17 years ago at First Presbyterian Church as part of its Podium Series.

"It was a lovely afternoon of group songs, duets, solos and children's songs. The children are now grown and the parents are older, but they still make music," the Frickes said.

The parents continue to sing with the Red Wing Singers while several of their children have pursued degrees in music performance and education.

Children singing in the concert will include: Joe Fricke, who will be a third-year law student at St. Thomas School of Law, Minneapolis; Megan Fricke Dimich, high school choir director for the Farmington (Minn.) School District; Sophia Johnson, a financial advisor working in Minneapolis; and Seana Johnson, who will be a junior at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., majoring in vocal performance.

The Johnsons' other daughter, Tessa, cannot attend. She just graduated from Tulane with a physics degree and is living in New Orleans.

Accompanist will be pianist Lynn Dulak.

Musical numbers on the program will include "Georgia on My Mind" by Hoagie Carmichael; "They Can't Take That Away from Me" and "Embraceable You" by George Gershwin; "Can't Buy Me Love" by the Beatles; "Every Time We Say Goodbye," "You're the Top" and "So in Love" by Cole Porter; and duets "The Prayer" and "Come What May."

A free will offering will be collected. "This offering will go to support a youth outreach program in the San Pedro Barrio and a nutritional program called Cup of Milk, for children and senior adults in the indigenous community of Cushamen," the organizers said.

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