Concert benefits kids' program

In the 17 years she's organized the Christmas for Kids concerts, Debbie Dixon has met a lot of kids.

"We've always had kids hang around our house," she said. She remembers one child who always wore tape wrapped around the toes of his shoes. Assuming the boy did it to follow a fad, "finally I said 'why do you want to do that to your shoes?' When he (took off the tape), the whole thing just fell apart, and I just felt awful."

Her judgment ended there.

Dillard's later donated two pairs of shoes to the boy.

The Blackwood Quartet and The Florida Boys take the stage at the Florence Freshmen Center on Saturday to raise money for gifts to children of incarcerated parents. Both gospel bands have been around for more than 40 years with rotating members.

The concert reminds many who take part in it of generosity bestowed on them and inspiration to give.

Through the years, the concert has raised money for about 18,000 children whose parents are incarcerated, according to Dixon.

When he heard the concert benefitted children, Ron Blackwood, of the Blackwood Quartet, didn't think twice about performing at this year's concert. He thought about his seven kids.

"I've got kids myself, and that kind of touches your heart," he said. "Kids to me are very, very special."

The Blackwood Quartet recently performed with Willie Nelson and, like another mainstay in gospel music, Jake Hess, sang at Elvis Presley's funeral.

When Blackwood's father died in a plane crash in Clanton, it was Hess who tried to pry open the plane's doors to save him. Hess and Blackwood became lifelong friends after that.

Many children helped by Christmas for Kids pay it forward.

"Some of the kids we've covered for several years, we've had kids who became sponsors themselves," Dixon said, and she hears from some of them on Mother's Day.

"It lets me know the program did and still does mean a lot to them," Dixon said.

She recalls another child involved with the program who saved his snack money to sponsor another child.

Dixon also has seen her nephew learn generosity from Christmas for Kids. Nine-year-old Jonathan wants to get the word out by telling friends and making posters, said his father, David Kerby.

"He wanted to get into the promotion business, and he's really enjoying it," Kerby said. "The program that (Dixon) started really seemed to have touched his heart. He really seems to have a soft spot in his heart for those children. ... Even his little friends that come around he'll tell them about these children and how fortunate he feels to have parents that are able to provide for him and how sorry he feels for those that don't."

Despite being the only child at home - "Normally when there's just one child in the house they tend to be spoiled, which I must admit he is," Kerby laughs - his heart is soft.

Jennifer Crossley can be reached at

740-5743 or jennifer.crossley@timesdaily.com.