Mid Columbia Community Choir will present two benefit holiday concerts.
The first concert will be presented on December 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Riverside Community Church sanctuary at 4th and State Streets in Hood River.
The second concert will be on Dec. 6 at 4 p.m. in the Grace Baptist Church sanctuary at 1280 W Jewett, White Salmon.
Admission is free but a free will offering will be received for Hood River FISH Food Bank and the Washington Pastors' Associations.
This year's concerts will be an encore presentation of sacred works that the choir has performed over the past six years while under the direction of Perry Cole. Diana Beterbide returns again this year as accompanist for the choir.
Also featured will be Anita Decker as soloist of Amy Grant's "Breath of Heaven" and Mack Wilberg's arrangement of "Angels We Have Heard on High." Dennis Griffith will again narrate the program and Kate Brownback, trumpet soloist, and Betsy Frazier, flute soloist, will be featured.
Mid Columbia Community Choir formed in 1989 under the direction of Bob Van Alstine. Van Alstine retired in 2001 and Cole became the director in 2003.
The 70 member choir has performed Christmas cantatas each year and has raised thousands of dollars for various charities. The choir has also performed for festivals, soldier memorials and other local special events.
"This is a great way to start your holidays off with local musical talent and presentation of this year's Encore Holiday Concert," said Cole.
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