Elvis set to return for United Way kickoff
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on July 28, 2015 2:14 PM
Elvis will be back in the house Aug. 21 at the Paramount Theatre for this year's United Way kickoff.
Stephen Freeman, aka Elvis, will be performing once again.
Opening act will be Goldsboro's own The Hitman, a group of local men who sing a cappella. They will be on stage at 7:30 p.m.
There will be a meet-and-greet with Freeman at 6 p.m. and he will take the stage at 8 p.m. and perform until 10 p.m. with a short intermission.
Tickets for the kickoff concert are now on sale for $22 for general reserved seating and $37 for the VIP meet-and-greet with Freeman. They are available at the Paramount box office, by calling 919-583-8432 or online at www.goldsboroparamount.com.
The concert kicks off this year's United Way campaign, said Catherine Lechot, community engagement manager.
"The last two years, we've had our frontrunners come out on stage to share with the audience how many lives they've impacted to date with their campaigns. It serves as a jumping point for the campaign."
Mrs. Lechot said frontrunners are companies that run their campaigns before the major campaign begins the end of August. They started their campaigns July 9 and will go through the middle of August.
This year's frontrunners are the city of Goldsboro, Cooper Standard Automotive, 3HC, Daniels and Daniels, The Little Bank, Franklin Baking, The Little Bank and Turner Equipment Co.
Along with the frontrunners, this year's campaign chairman Justin McLamb will talk about what United Way does in this community.
But the main feature of the kickoff concert will be the music.
"We always try to feature local talent each year," Mrs. Lechot said. "This year our opening act will be The Hitmen of Goldsboro, a group of guys who do a cappella. It's totally different from what we have had in the past for opening acts. We've never had an a cappella group."
The Hitmen will do complimentary renditions to Freeman's act, Mrs. Lechot said.
"In the past, Stephen has done a blues show and a rock a roll show," she said. "So whatever his emphasis is going to be this year, The Hitmen are going to do complimentary songs.
"Stephen tries to switch up his show a little bit each year. He also takes in to account the performances he's doing in the area because he does have a following. He doesn't want people to see the same show a week before he comes here."
Freeman said he has gained many new fans by bringing his tribute concert to Goldsboro.
"We look forward to coming back each year to see the new friends that we have made with each passing year," he said in a phone interview. "We are delighted that we are able to offer such a fun experience for the community that also impacts the community in a positive way. It's exciting for us to see United Way generating much needed money for all the wonderful causes they help support and fund."
Mrs. Lechot said the main reason United Way has a benefit concert each year is because 95 percent of the people who attend go because they want to see Freeman, not because they're making the connection to United Way.
"It's a great way to get the word out about United Way with potentially non-United Way individuals," she said. "Perhaps somebody in that audience, when they get the United Way letter in the mail this year, will think back to being at the concert and decide to make an investment."
And the concert is just plain fun.
"Last year I witnessed a lady who always brings fresh flowers," Mrs. Lechot said. "It's the same lady every year. One of the first few songs Stephen sings, she just makes her way over to the aisle with her bouquet and moseys on up to the stage and Stephen takes the flowers and comes down and sings to her.
"There's also a family who always has a grandchild or great-grandchild with them. They've come the last three years. It's fun to see the multigenerational families coming to the show."
Mrs. Lechot said it's also interesting to see how many people are hollering to Stephen and the ladies fanning themselves.
"Sometimes I think some people may forget it's Stephen and transport themselves back to Elvis' heyday," she said. "And Stephen does have an uncanny resemblance to Elvis. He used to study Elvis on tape so he'd know exactly what moves to do when, his gyrations right at the right time in the song."
This is the fourth year that Freeman has performed at the kickoff concert.
"One of the main reasons we have him is that we've consistently sold between 375 tickets and being sold out having him," Mrs. Lechot said.
Last year's concert raised about $4,800. This year's goal is $5,000.
The overall campaign goal is $1.18 million, which will improve the lives of 23,600 people in Wayne County. That's an increase of 600 lives over last year's goal.