Home, Sweet Home

Big changes lead to big experiences.

It's difficult to believe it's already been three months since I arrived here in Temecula, CA. By the way, that's pronounced "ta-meh-kyoo-la". 

So much has happened since I left Vermont August 31. 

First, Billie, my 18 year old kitty and I drove nearly 3,000 miles in seven days to get here. Our route took us through twelve states, from Vermont to New York State, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, then finally California! Whew! 

And unbelievable experiences and sights all along the way. I could go on and on just about the trip. In fact, I wrote a journal email to family every day, with photos. It was a lot of fun, and I never dreamed what an incredible trip it would be. 

Every state was different, from the lush-green farmlands of New York to the rolling hills of Indiana, the High Plains of Nebraska, jaw-dropping, majestic beauty of the Colorado Rockies, then the desert mountains of Nevada, the gorges of Arizona, and on. One amazing day after another.

Once we got here it was time to start setting up our home. The movers arrived two weeks later, bringing a whole new level of stuff to deal with. Frankly, I'm still trying to figure out where stuff goes, and get it all out of the cardboard boxes. Billie is quite happy with life here in sunny, southern California. 

California

Everything about California is much different than Vermont. The weather, the scenery, the traffic, the shopping centers, the language, the roads, even the fast-food restaurants are different. The people are great, though, making such a big move a much easier transition for me.  

I really love it here, and while I know it will take awhile to get everything running up-to-speed, I feel certain in my heart that this was the right move at the right time.

The Possibilities

Here in California I have many possibilities and opportunities to continue growing Music For Mankind®. Some of them are already in the works and others waiting their turn. It's a process, like life, and takes time and patience. The response to this effort is very enthusiastic and I'm quite excited about the future.

I finished the last of my Vermont concerts about a month early, knowing that the next season wouldn't really start until springtime. And here everything is timing up perfectly to start right in with a new series in California for the Spring.

We Still Need Your Help

Each year I have sent out a letter to those I think might be able to help us financially so that we can continue our work. This year I'm asking that you please help by making any contribution you can through the website and I will personally make sure that your contributions go to help those, here and abroad, in need, especially the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

If you can help, please send your contribution in before December 31. And I really mean it when I say that any amount will help. The website page will direct you to easily contribute using PayPal.

So onward we go to new adventures. I'm including below a photo that I took recently on a trip down the coast. It speaks for itself. 

Thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support!

Senator George McGovern

As I am sure all of you know, today we lost a champion in the fight against chronic global hunger. I am deeply saddened by this news, yet even stronger in my conviction to continue the work that I have begun.

Senator McGovern not only held the banner, but he created it. The United Nations World Food Program is today what it is, because of his tireless efforts starting back in the 1960's, as well as the untold thousands and possibly millions who have been a part of this effort. He is, and will always be an inspiration to me.

I was fortunate to meet Senator McGovern in Washington, DC at the 2009 Annual Awards Ceremony for World Food Program USA. To have done the little that I have done, and to meet a giant in this effort, the founding father, is a moment I will always cherish.

I greatly appreciate your support in my efforts.

Best and warmest regards to all,  

Music For Mankind® Finds Home In California

I know! Every year I say the same thing, "Wow, this year is even more incredible than last year!" And really, each one is truly startling to me. I still can't believe all the stuff that has happened since I started this effort. And now, California.

Really, today someone said to me, "California's the place you ought to be!" All I could do to keep from laughing. So I recited (I usually sing it. Ask my son. He HATES that!), "So they loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverleee...Hills, that is. Swimmin' pools an' movie stars." I'll be singing that for seven days driving through VT, NY, PA, IN, IL, NE, CO, NV and CA! The alphabet soup trip.

Did you read the recent newsletter? Says it all there. So much has happened in such a short time, it's clear that it's time to move to CA. Temecula, to be precise. About halfway between LA and San Diego. I can perform in both areas and Palm Springs. All within an hour and a half of Temecula. Centrally located. We're talking a whole lot of possibilities.

Nice weather, too! Yes, I'll get to ride my motorcycle twelve months of the year. Like after 40,000 miles in three years isn't enough. But I digress.

So after five and a half incredible years of Music For Mankind® in VT, NY, MA, NH, and CA (alphabet soup time, again), I realized that a lot can be done in CA. And who knows where we go from there. I'm supposed to know. But guess what? Life is an amazing mystery. And an incredible adventure. And what I do know is that I get to keep discovering new and exciting ways to help. Truly I am humbled by this opportunity that presents itself to me every morning.

And grateful. Very.

So what do you think? As I plow into new territories and new horizons, what ideas and suggestions would you like to share with me? I've been waiting to ask you this question for a long time, and this feels like the right time. New beginnings, new life, new ideas.

The canvas is waiting for the brush.

Thank you to all who have helped us to this point. Thank you to all who will help us from this point onward.

While I sit in my office planning, writing, communicating; work in my studio writing, singing, dancing, recording, playing who-knows how many instruments; driving around performing all kinds of totally different shows, it may seem like this is a one-man operation. I often talk about "us" or "we". There is a small group of us that oversee this effort, and yes, it's true, I do a huge bulk of the work. But it's all meaningless unless through my efforts I can inspire you to help, either by some organizational effort or actual contributions. I can't do all of that. So in the end, it's all of us together that make this beauty happen.

So Westward, Ho! to California. New adventures await. And in the end, we get to help many, many folks who are truly grateful for our efforts. Again, I'm humbled.

Thank you for your support and enthusiasm. I look forward to hearing your ideas.

Best always,

Singing the National Anthem To Help The Hungry

Once again I have the incredible honor of singing our National Anthem for the Vermont Lake Monsters baseball game in Burlington, Vermont on Saturday July 7, 2012 at 6:05 PM.

And while promoting that event we are selling tickets to that game (you get to hear me sing!) through this link and $3 of every ticket sold using the link will be contributed to the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf of Burlington, VT, a Feeding America Foodbank affiliate, and the United Nations World Food Program. I say it all the time, and it's true. We really are helping locally and globally. And even more true, we need your help to succeed in our efforts.

Please let me say that again. We need your help to succeed in our efforts.

The link is active until June 7, 2012, so get your tickets now.

Enjoy an evening of minor league baseball (the best!) at affordable prices in a stadium that will take you back to the "good ole days" and at the same time help those who struggle every day to survive.

I say that last line a lot, too. I've seen it. Maybe you have, too. I'll never forget the look in those children's eyes in Nicaragua when I handed them a bowl of food.

Hungry.

For many of them it was the only meal they would get all day. They walk 8 mountainous miles up a dirt road to go to school and get one meal with added nutrients so they have all the nutrition they will need for the day.

Hungry.

The incredible work of the United Nations World Food Program makes that food and that help possible.

And here in this country where we have so much, there are families who struggle every day. Organizations like the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf really make a difference in their lives.

So please help us help them. Come to the game. Buy your tickets early through this link.

Can't make it to the game but would still like to help? Donate here and we'll send the money directly to the organizations.

Rob Meehan, Director of the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf said, "We are honored to once again have Kelly Moore and Music For Mankind help us in the fight against hunger. The funds raised by Music For Mankind will be used to buy food for the growing number of people in need throught the Burlington and surrounding towns in Chittenden County. This donation comes at a time when our food supplies are low and our donations are down. Thank You Kelly for all you do!"

We really can make a difference together. I keep hearing and reading about donations in these very difficult economic times being down, and support overall being much lower. A ticket to a baseball game, or a donation of a similar amount doesn't seem like much. But it can really make a difference. Really!

When I sing the National Anthem it's a very moving experience for me. And singing it to help others means so much more.

The Vermont Lake Monsters are the only organization that have offered me this opportunity to help at the same time. Their generosity simply cannot be overstated. I am incredibly grateful that they make this possibility a reality for me to help in this way.

I sincerely hope that you will join us in this effort. Ticket sales through this link and donations here will make the difference. Please help.

Thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support.

Kelly Moore
President/CEO
Music For Mankind, Inc.

Sunny Southern California Tour A Huge Success!

I arrived in San Diego on Thursday March 22. What a difference from Vermont! Sunny skies, warm, no snow (of course there really wasn't much snow when I left Vermont, either!), green trees, green grass, flowers blooming everywhere, and a delight to see my friends Mark and Patti Ashley, who put me up for ten days, and put up with me for ten days. We had so much fun together and they showed me around southern California, via practically every restaurant we passed. If you were following me on my personal Facebook page you'll know what I mean.

Monday I rehearsed  in the morning with pianist Dan Durand who performed with me at Paradise Village, and in the afternoon I rehearsed with Chris Allen, pictured here, who performed with me at both St. Paul's Manor and St. Paul's Villa.

Both pianists were fantastic, working quite well with my interpretations of the music. We performed at Paradise Village on Thursday March 29, St. Paul's Manor on Friday March 30, and St. Paul's Villa on Saturday March 31. Paradise Village is in National City, CA, a southern neighborhood of San Diego, and both St. Paul's Manor and St. Paul's Villa are in downtown San Diego. All three are beautiful and we were welcomed warmly by all.

Marina Hernadez, the Activities Director at St. Paul's Manor was very enthusiastic about the performance and the reception we received. "The performance was amazing! It was refreshing to book entertainment with true talent. The audience felt like they were at a real Broadway show. They were in awe of how beautifully you sang and how expressive you were as you performed. I think all facilities should have Music For Mankind booked at least twice a year." Thank you, Marina! I really enjoyed working with you throughout this project, and look forward to our return.

And Alison Dunn, the Activities Coordinator at St. Paul's Villa was also super-pleased with our performances. She wrote to me, "Everyone loved your show! I could see it on the (St. Paul's Manor) residents faces during your performance. Here at St. Paul's Villa, the word is out that you were fantastic! Please let me know when you’re back in town and we will definitely bring you back for another performance." And thank you, Alison! I enjoyed your enthusiasm for our efforts and our show.

Bill Reando is the Activities Director at Paradise Village, and while I was able to only spend a couple of minutes with him afterward,  he was obviously quite pleased with the response to our show. Talking with the residents afterwards, they simply could not have been happier and they thanked me profusely.

I should take a moment here to talk about the reponses, because it never ceases to move me quite deeply.

I grew up in musical theatre, and the songs I perform are all ones from shows I've either performed in, worked in some technical aspect (lights, sets, sound, music) or have seen or simply have heard and love the music. At this point, for me, these songs are like old and dear friends, and to revisit them in this way is very sweet and I truly feel honored to have the ability to do these performances.

Currently I'm performing at retirement homes, and the residents all grew up with this music as adults. Many of them lived in New York and have seen all or almost all of the shows. And all of the residents have seen the plays or movies. These songs remind them of their youth, and all the sweet memories they cherish.

As I perform, I watch them carefully for their reactions; I see the far-off looks, the happiness in their eyes, and the tears. I've seen people weep through my entire show, song after song after song taking them back to a time they love so dearly. I've seen people holding hands and weeping together, talking quietly about their experiences. I've seen people smiling and singing along, some of them, song after song after song. Some people never sing, and they only watch me. Yet most all of them, at the end of the show, sing along on "Edleweiss" from "The Sound of Music". I like to sing that as a happy song, of our cherished memories we hold together in that moment.

Then after the show, I always spend time with them, thanking them for coming to the show and sharing such sweet memories. They hold my hand, oftentimes both my hands, and thank me profusely, many of them with tears in their eyes, and tell me how wonderful it was to revisit their memories, how they feel young again. Sometimes they hug me, and I feel as though I've met an old friend again.

Personally, for me, there are so many emotions about this. The sharing of such deep feelings together and the songs themselves, which hold deep meanings for me, too. Sometimes it's all I can do to keep the tears back, too. The show must go on.

The kindness of the retirment homes to have me perform, and invite me back again and again. I simply can't thank them enough because it not only helps them with their program, and is such powerful therapy for the residents, but after paying my pianist, I then am able to contribute the rest to the organizations who are doing so much for so many who have so little.

And let me take a moment to thank them for their incredible work. The United Nations World Food Program, Feeding America, and The Prem Rawat Foundation, as well as local food cupboards, the Manchester Community Food Cupboard in Manchester, Vermont and the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf in Burlington, Vermont. Thank you, all, for your caring, your determination and your constant efforts.

To be able to perform, and then contribute what I can from these performances to these organizations means so much to me, and again, I feel honored to be able to help in this small way.

As you can see, there is so much going on in this little effort, and so much more can be done. I am constantly looking for new ways and new venues to perform. It still amazes me how many possibilties there are for continuing this effort.

After an incredible ten days in California, I returned home to Vermont, and have already performed in Montpelier. That's another story for another day. Many more performances are already booked for this year, and I continue to call and book more dates.

Thank you for your enthusiasm and support of this cause to help alleviate chronic global hunger. With a global population nearing seven billion, yet still the ability to produce food for ten billion, this is a problem with a solution. I feel an incredible pride in our efforts together.

Best and warmest wishes to all.

Music For Mankind® Events 2012

Starting a new year! Wow. It's amazing to realize this is our sixth year. So much has happened in the past five years, it's incredible to think that more can still happen, but it can, and does and will.

2011 was quite an exciting year. I was involved in several events; an opera, a musical, a dance contest, and the audition for America's Got Talent; outside of our normal concert series, and at the same time the concert series did better than ever. As if that wasn't enough, I sang the National Anthem at stadiums all around the Northeast, at each event promoting Music For Mankind®.

2012 brings a whole new set of events. In December 2011 I studied Show dance, then in January took lessons in Tap dance. I added quite a bit more dance; Jazz, Show, and Tap; to the show.

During this time I worked with stage director Diana Stugger of Opera Theatre of Weston to fully stage Give My Regards To Broadway. The concert is now a show, with a lot of movement, and themes to each song. Having grown up in theatre and musical theatre this feels right to me, as though I've come back home. I'm enjoying the show now on an entirely new level, and the response is wonderful.

Here's what Dorothy Sullivan, Activities Director of Wheelock Terrace said about our show earlier this month.
 
"Kelly Moore's performance of Give My Regards To Broadway is nothing less than spectacular! His singing is absolutely beautiful and he presents himself with confidence and professionalism. Add to that, his new found talent, tap dancing!

The audience thoroughly enjoyed Kelly's performance. The songs from Broadway shows were very well received as they are known and loved by those who came to hear him. The hour performance went by too quickly and we look forward to having Kelly perform again in the near future.

I would highly recommend Kelly Moore and his program Give My Regards To Broadway to others. This performance is not to be missed!"

--Dorothy Sullivan, Activities Director, Wheelock Terrace, Hanover, NH

We've started this year off with several concert "shows" in Vermont and New Hampshire, and later this week I head to California for several dates in San Diego, my first performances of Give My Regards To Broadway on the West Coast!

When I return from California there are several performances booked in April and May, then more later in the year, including singing the Star Spangled Banner in July for the Vermont Lake Monsters.
 
Dates are booked throughout the year, so keep an eye on our Events page.

I wish to thank our sponsors Luxbrush Painting Company, Maple Street School, The Image Loft, Graph-X and Manchester Carpet Care, and everyone who reads this for your support and enthusiasm for Music For Mankind®.

Best wishes to all,
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
President/CEO
Music For Mankind, Inc.

Our Sponsors Are Angels!

We would like to gratefully thank our new Angel Sponsors for their generous contributions to Music For Mankind®, helping to fuel our work in doing all we can to alleviate chronic global hunger. No one should go to bed hungry.

You will see their logos on our website, newsletters with links to their websites, and read about them in our press releases. If you wish to become a sponsor, please contact us at info@musicformankind.net or 802-362-3806 or go to our Sponsorship page.

Our sincerest thanks!