Joyland Concert to Benefit Local Military Families with Deployed Spouses

How did a comment on a Facebook post lead to a social marketing company, a country music hall, a local veteran's charity and a national recording act coming together on a benefit concert that will help make sure local military families with a spouse deployed in the Middle East still have a merry Christmas? It's a story of small, random acts with major consequences. 

A few weeks back, Joyland Country Music Night Club posted a photo on their Facebook page with the caption, "One of the Toughest Girls you will ever meet are the ones who stand behind or with soldiers." The post got a lot of attention, though one particular comment hit home. "And it's no fun being so poor when your man is in the service and you have to figure out how you are going to feed yourselves and baby for a month! I can tell you about this!" said Marla J. Ault-Miller.

Brand Story Experts, the company who handles Joyland’s social media account, said they were hit hard by the comment, which sparked a vision of the harsh reality that many military families are impacted financially by the fact that their spouse is deployed – and when Marla, a local woman talked about it reaching the point of "not being able to feed yourself or your baby" it was sobering to say the least.

The post was then brought to the attention of Joyland Club owner Rick Lambert, who was also impacted. As a result, they decided that Joyland and its customers should do something together to raise money for Military families in Manatee and Sarasota counties this holiday season.

The chain reaction continued as they called up Manasota Operation Troop Support, a local military support group. Together the groups decided to convert Joyland’s already scheduled, November 30 Parmalee Concert into a Fundraiser where 100 percent of the ticket proceeds would go toward ensuring that every military family in our area with an active deployed spouse in the Middle East has a great Christmas.

Last year, M.O.T.S. helped 50 local military families have happy holidays and they did so with around $6,500 in donations. This concert has the potential to bring in that much and maybe more, the groups say. Tickets are only $15 at the door, or $10 in advance. Click here to purchase advance tickets online.