By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
The Michael Yang Foundation is hosting its eighth annual Voices of Hope music in the park concert the first Sunday in November.
The event will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Library Park in Spencer on Nov. 1.
The Foundation was set up by Steve and Lori Yang, whose son Michael died in 2001, just before his second birthday. The couple began going to a grief support group in Charlotte, which eventually spurred them to provide support services for bereaved parents and children.
Admission to the event is $2 with children younger than 12 admitted free.
The admission ticket also qualifies concert-goers for a raffle that will be held during the event, which features performers from the community.
“It will be a day, through the expression of music, to celebrate life and remember those who have passed away,” Lori Yang said.
All proceeds go to the foundation. The foundation funds professional grief support services for parents, scholarships for youth to attend Kindermusik and Young Life summer camp and aid for college.
Kindermusik classes teach children about music through dance, movement and musical instruments. Young Life is a Christian camp that has sites all over the world.
The college scholarship is usually given through West Rowan and supported by the local Civitans.
The foundation has added services for children who have lost parents and siblings.
Today, a group of children are going to Build-A-Bear Workshop to create their own memory bears. Inside each bear, the children will place a photograph of their lost loved one, Lori Yang explained.
“The Michael Yang Foundation continues to explore future endeavors which would better the lives of children in our community,” she said.