Holmes Center for the Arts benefit concert for fire victims unites music, healing

Tragedy is sadly a part of life.
However, so are love, healing and compassion.

On the evening of Tuesday, March 31, tragedy and compassion came together in the form of a last-second fundraiser for two area families who are going through the heartache of losing their homes to fires.

The benefit concert for the Tkachuk and Stauffer-McNutt families took place at Holmes Center for the Arts, where The Lovedays and Jonny Shedron donated their musical gifts to help raise funds for the two families.

Amy Stauffer-McNutt attended the concert and said experiencing this type of support and community outreach served as a healing experience.

Stauffer-McNutt said she has always been on the giving end of circumstances like this, and finding herself on the receiving end was difficult, not just because of the loss, but also because of how awkward it was being in this position.

“At first I had a bit of a struggle because it felt like we were in the spotlight and you don’t know exactly how to handle it,” she said. “What I realized is one of the beautiful things about community and mutual aid is that it’s part of the healing process. I felt surrounded by friends tonight, and I felt like something in my heart was healed a little bit.”

Scott and Amy Loveday thoroughly enjoy performing, and the couple has been a staple in the community as entertainers for many years. Yet there is something special about performing in this capacity that is worth more than any paycheck.

Scott Loveday said being able to share their talents and help others through difficult situations is rewarding.

“Our hearts go out to these families,” he said. “This community is fantastic when it comes to supporting one another when needs arise, and we do what we can with the gifts we have.”

Amy Loveday has had the honor of working onstage with Zlata Tkachuk, the youngest daughter from the Tkachuk family, who moved here from Ukraine after losing all they had in the war there.

Loveday said losing everything in Ukraine four years ago only to come here, build a successful business and lose their home again would shake anyone’s faith.

She said she was recently conversing with Tetiana Tkachuk, the matriarch of the family, and they were struggling to make sense of what was happening, how they could go through this agony again.

“She said the fact that they all survived tells us that God is not done with us and that there is a plan there, and they are moving forward and having faith,” Amy Loveday said.

The Lovedays then dedicated the song “That’s Where the Faith Comes In” to the two families struggling to find their way through these troubling times.

The song talks about relying on and trusting in God to lift people up through situations that are uncertain, difficult or when human strength has failed. It highlights a transition from fear, doubt or trying to control circumstances to surrendering to belief and finding peace despite the storm.

That’s exactly what this concert did, and in the process, they raised $2,000 for the families.

Shannon Olsen, executive director at HCA, said this facility was created for evenings just like this where community can come together and support not only the arts, but also one another.

She said Amy Loveday contacted her about the idea of creating a benefit for the families, and she immediately knew it was a terrific idea.

“We were honored to provide our center for such an incredibly worthy cause,” Olsen said.

While Amy Loveday was the driving force behind the show, she said bringing Shedron on board was a blessing because they have gotten to know the West Holmes High School senior recently and have grown to appreciate both his talent and his heart to serve others.

“When Amy reached out to me about playing in this benefit, I was honored,” Shedron said. “I love being able to give my talent back to others, and I’d rather do it in a way that isn’t about me but is about someone else. Being able to give back in this way is so meaningful. I feel really blessed to give something back through music because that’s really what it’s all about.”

On this benefit night, blessings, healing, music and community shone brightly on stage at HCA for all the right reasons.