Country music fans flooded Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton on Friday, May 12 to hear one of the good ole’ boys of country music, John Michael Montgomery, at a concert benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington (BBBS). Opening for him was local talent Corey Daniels and the band Humptulips, who hail from Grays Harbor. As part of their long-standing tradition to philanthropic efforts, Little Creek Casino Resort donated 100 percent of the ticket proceeds to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington.
“We really want to help our community out and BBBS is such a huge influence and great benefit to the community,” says Jennifer Brines promotions coordinator for Little Creek Casino Resort. “And it fit well with what we are trying to do as far as supporting families in the area.”
The concert raised over $50,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington. The monies will be used to further their mission, including their mentoring programs. “Concerts like this help us broaden our reach. It makes people aware of our existence and the programs and the services we provide within the community,” say Pearl Price, director of marketing and outreach for Big Brothers Big Sisters. “For example, some of the folks who went to the John Michael Montgomery concert might not have known that there was a local Big Brothers Big Sisters office. It helps with awareness in the community and mentor recruitment as well.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters booked John Micheal Montgomery and then chose Little Creek Casino for the location of the event. For the past two years, BBBS has held their annual BIG AUCTION at Little Creek Casino Resort. Their positive experience at these events led them to reach out to Little Creek for the John Michael Montgomery concert. “Little Creek Casino Resort always does a wonderful job when we work with them for these events,” explains Price.
Little Creek Casino Resort did all the production work for the show, including blackline, audio, video, sound, transportation, hospitality, green room, and meets and greets. They also handled all the marketing for the concert, including radio, billboards, print and digital advertising. The Little Creek Casino Resort team spent months making sure the show would be amazing for the fans. “We were happy to do it,” Tanner Weiks, marketing project coordinator for Little Creek Casino Resort says. “We were happy to contribute to a good cause and look forward to doing it the future. Anytime we can partner with an organization like Big Brothers Big Sisters to put on a special show where people come and have a good time is definitely a plus for us.”
The concert did not disappoint the over 1,100 fans who attended the concert. They were treated to his greatest hits from his 25-year career, including his famous song, “SOLD.” The crowd was on their feet, singing along as fast as they could in a rousing karaoke match that Montgomery himself initiated between the two halves of the auditorium. During his slower songs, including “I Love The Way You Love Me,” many couples danced in the aisles. Montgomery also thanked our military before playing a more recent hit of his, “Letters From Home.”
A smaller venue compared to a sports stadium – where most music concerts are held – meant that every concert-goer got to see John Michael Montgomery fairly up close. All five of the sky boxes were sold out for the performance as well.
John Michael Montgomery (of Montgomery Gentry) is a Grammy Award-nominee, CMA Horizon Award winner, and Billboard Top Country Artist who has established himself as one of country music’s great talents. Montgomery and his crew spent the week at Little Creek Casino, golfing at the different courses in the area. “His crew said the week they were here was like a golf boot camp with John,” Weiks says. “John Michael Montgomery and his crew were incredibly great to work with. He was very down to earth and it was a pleasure to have them here.”
Little Creek Casino Resort hosts other events for non-profit organizations throughout the year, including golf tournaments benefiting the Squaxin Island Museum. They will again be hosting the BBBS BIG AUCTION on October 14. For more information visit the Little Creek Casino Resort website or call 800-667-7711 . To find out how you can help make a difference with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington, visit the Big Brothers Big Sisters website.
Sponsored
