United Way kicks off 2014 campaign with concert by 'Elvis'
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on July 20, 2014 1:50 AM
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Stephen Freeman as Elvis
Wayne County residents can enjoy some Elvis music and help their neighbors at the same time during the United Way of Wayne County campaign kickoff event Aug. 22 at the Paramount Theatre.
Elvis tribute artist Stephen Freeman is bringing his show to Goldsboro for the fourth time.
United Way's community relations manager Catherine LeChot said the concert is a good way for United Way to get its message out to people who might not ever come into contact with the organization otherwise.
"Stephen Freeman has a great following, and they're coming for him," she said. "But we're also getting to get our little plug in about United Way. And coming that night is helping United Way. That's why we continue to have Stephen."
Mrs. LeChot said Wayne County people seem to love Elvis and his music and everything about him. And they also love Freeman because he does such a good job bringing Elvis to life.
"We started having him come four years ago because we wanted to do something different at our kickoff," she said. "Elvis just gets us to a different crowd. And it's about getting across the work that United Way does."
The opening act for Freeman this year will be Wayne County's own Elvises -- Kirk Keller, Geoff Hulse, Wayne Alley and Julie Beck. They will do some Elvis songs and skits to get the show started.
VIP tickets are $35 and general reserved seats are $20.
A VIP ticket gets you backstage to hear a presentation by David Weil, president of the Paramount Theatre Foundation, on the history of the theater and a short tour.
The VIP program starts at 6 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m., opening act is at 7:30 p.m. and Elvis comes on stage at 8 p.m. for a two-hour show with a short intermission.