Published: November 29, 2008 02:53 pm      

Dunn makes way to Palace

Show will benefit growing ministry

When Are We Going Home Ministries will host a concert by international award-winning Cheryl Dunn beginning at 6:45 p.m. Dec. 2 at the Palace Theatre. The concert will be free, but donations will be welcomed. In addition, there will also be a silent auction that evening at the Palace.

Dunn performs Christian country music, and won the 2003 and 2005 Canadian Country/Bluegrass Album of the Year awards, and has been nominated three times for the Covenant Awards and four times for the Vibe Awards. This is her third time to perform benefit concerts for the charity.

When Are We Going Home Ministries offers creative and music ministries for children with special needs.

The concert is being underwritten by the Navarro Community Foundation, according to Deborah Caudle, founder of When Are We Going Home Ministries.

The charity’s goal is to build a year-round camp for kids with special needs and their families, in order to give them therapeutic treatments and a place for the entire family to get away from their problems for a weekend, Caudle said.

“Our long-term goal is to build a family Christian retreat and therapeutic center,” Caudle explained. “During the week, people could come in and use this camp designed for handicapped kids, with a swimming pool and covered horseback arena. On weekends, people could come and use the camp as a free vacation.”

“We’d like to build it in Navarro County, and we’ve been working towards that goal for the last four years,” she said.

Although Camp of the Rising Sun, held at Camp Wanica, also serves kids with health problems, Caudle’s goal is to have her camp also serve siblings and entire families who need a break, and for it to be open year-round.

Caudle’s 13-year-old daughter succumbed to her own health issues this year. Dunn sang at her funeral.

Dunn said it’s a cause she can easily support.

“We connected at a friendship level,” Dunn said. “I just feel her passion for what she has and it’s not like in Canada. Everything’s funded in Canada. We have group homes and everything’s funded by the government. I’m out there with her saying ‘it’s a great opportunity.’ Unless we’re stricken by it, we don’t understand.”

The doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and the opening acts will be The Way, Truth and Life Praise Team from Ennis, followed by Glorybound, from Corsicana.

Dunn has a new CD this year, “Emmanuel — White Christmas” and she will be performing songs from that album. In addition, she will be doing a concert tour in the North Texas area, with dates in Quitman, Waco, Grapevine, Red Oak and Grand Prairie already on her itinerary.

It’s free, partly to benefit the kids, and partly to benefit the families, Dunn said.

“We just take up an offering,” she said. “That way, it doesn’t eliminate anybody due to Christmas and the whole recession deal. We’re trying to keep it open to everybody. We just hope everybody comes.”

Local kids who have been struggling with their own life-threatening or debilitating illnesses will also receive trophies at the concert, Caudle said. The name of the ministry was inspired by the question children ask most often in the hospital, and honors those who have already died, she said.

For more information, go to www.whenarewegoinghome.com, and www.cheryldunn.com. To make a donation, or to donate an item for the silent auction, call (903) 422-6120.

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Janet Jacobs may be reached via e-mail at jacobs@corsicanadailysun.com