Local Favorites to Croon Xmas Classics for Charity this Sunday (Dec 4) at Home Plate SLT

Get ready to ring in the holiday season with some of Beijing's bands.

Popular local expat troops like the jazzy big band Stevie Mac and The Mac Daddies, The Hunters, The Game Gurus, and Jing Sing are set to play a festive, Christmas themed family friendly charity gig on December 4 from 4pm-8pm at Home Plate BBQ's Sanlitun location, all proceeds for which will be donated to Bethel China and Agape Family Life House.

There will be no door charge, but monetary donations will be accepted at the door. RMB 30 raffle tickets will be sold for items donated by various businesses across town (the coordinators are hoping to raise RMB 20,000).

It's certainly a worthy goodwill event, considering both organizations offer support, care and more for orphans struggling with disabilities. According to Agape Family Life House's website, its founders and staff place a special emphasis on helping children afflicted with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) which is often called brittle bone disease. Before founding the organization, Keith and Cheryl Wyse also adopted six Chinese daughters, four of whom also have OI. Bethel China, meanwhile, offers aid to visually impaired children via its four foster homes, which have served more than 130 children. You can watch a video in which the founders talk about the organization's history by clicking here.

You can read more about headliner Steven McKinney and his Stevie Mac and The Mac Daddies big band here. McKinney says he's happy to support Bethel China and Agape Family Life House because he has worked with special needs children as a volunteer, camp counselor and more since he was in college. He says he looks "back upon that time as some of my happiest moments. Helping children, and seeing them smile, has gotten in my blood."

He adds: "We often take for granted our ability to do simple things. We forget there are people, specifically children, who don't have the same advantages as we do. This concert is meant to raise money and awareness for two great philanthropies that do wonderful things for children in the Beijing Community."

For more information about the gig, click here.

More stories by this author here.
Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
Twitter: @MulKyle
WeChat: 13263495040

Photo: Courtesy of Steven McKinney