Christmas concerts to benefit local food banks

THE GORGE — Mid-Columbia Community Choir (MCCC) has brought “gospel-based traditional Christmas story,” and Christmas carols to the Gorge for almost 40 years.

Concerts this year will be Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. at Hood River Valley Christian Church, and Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. at Grace Baptist in White Salmon. They will sing the cantata, “Let There be Christmas,” as well as carols, a quartet, and solos.

MCCC was founded in 1989 and directed by Bob Van Alstine, who served the choir for 18 years, before passing off the reins, and now Kathy Black and Susan Wade are co-directing this year’s choir. Van Alstine was, “always passionate about music and a perfectionist. Numerous directors have continued to display that passion along with many talented accompanists,” said Cheryl Haun, singer, and member of the steering committee.

Over the years, MCCC has had many voices, but it remains, “truly a Gorge wide seasonal community choir. There is always a core that loves to sing for our community of family and friends,” said Haun, with members joining from “The Dalles to Stevenson, Parkdale to Trout Lake, Glennwood, White Salmon, and even one member from Battleground.”

MCCC has sung in hospitals, churches, museums and Skamania Lodge, while a spin-off women’s group, Hearts In Harmony, sings in Veteran’s Homes, assisted living homes and with the terminally ill. “From the beginning, the group considers music to be a gift for all … both the choir and the community,” said Haun. At each performance, donations can be made that are given directly to food banks on both sides of the river.