Josh Gallagher, a central Pennsylvania native who starred on NBC’s “The Voice,” is returning to his homeland on Saturday to headline a concert benefiting the YMCA of Centre County’s anti-hunger programs.
The event will begin at noon at Philipsburg’s Memorial Field and continue throughout the day, with Gallagher performing at around 7:30 p.m.
Moshannon Valley YMCA Director Mel Curtis coached Gallagher in baseball in Altoona before his stardom. Curtis said the Y’s anti-hunger programs, which includes the school backpack program, the summer lunch program, and the Travelin’ Table, are an ongoing cost, and he wanted to go “outside the box a little bit” for this latest fundraiser.
“(Gallagher) is just a great, all-around guy,” Curtis said. “I told him it is a benefit concert, and all the funding is going to purchase food for all the kids in the schools we serve. And he was all about it. He said, ‘This is a great idea.’ He does a lot of things like that. He’s really a downhome kid who really hasn’t changed.”
The concert will feature a full day of music from six local bands, including the Y’s kid-only band, Vinyl Stripes, before Gallagher takes the stage in the evening. Philipsburg’s Hope Fire Company will be selling concessions, and there will be old-fashioned games throughout the day.
Curtis said there will be “no down time,” thanks to Donny Burns, a local musician who will be playing on a side stage while other bands transition from the main stage. The goal, Curtis said, is not only to raise money, but also to show visitors a new side of Philipsburg.
“There are a lot of good things that come out of Philipsburg,” Curtis said. “The concert will be good for the community, and it’s great for the cause of feeding children. It’ll also give people a different perspective of the community. They’re not just driving through. The hope is to showcase the area, to let people see that Philipsburg is a pretty cool place. We want to help kids and let everybody have a good time – have a release. In today’s world, releases are pretty tough to find anymore.”
The main stage and a Kids Zone, with free field games and inflatables, will be made possible through financial assistance from Philipsburg-Osceola alum and Washington Nationals first baseman Matt Adams. Another donation from fellow P-O alum and NFL veteran Jon Condo will provide free tickets to children with cancer and Wounded Warriors.
All the bands are donating their talents to the concert. Curtis said with the money raised, the YMCA will be able to go into schools and educate children about nutrition, introduce them to new foods they’ve never tasted before, and educate the public about the regional hunger problem many people are unaware of.
“Since we started (the anti-hunger programs), we’ve served over a million meals to kids, and it’s something that’s needed,” Curtis said. “… Children become dependent on meals when they’re in school full-time. Once they’re out of school, that dependency is gone, and a lot of families are struggling with food insecurity. From a county-wide instance now, we’ve pushed this very hard, and it’s one of the top programs we’re going after full-bore. What we’re doing is giving back to the community, that’s the bottom line. Every child deserves the same opportunity.”
Curtis said school disciplinary and attention problems can often be traced back to hunger issues in children. He says the YMCA’s various anti-hunger programs help bridge the gap between summers and weekends when kids can suffer mentally and physically from lack of proper nutrition.
“When I go out and talk to people and organizations about what we do, I basically feel like I’m the voice of these kids,” Curtis said. “If I don’t get the message across, they’re not going to be supportive of what we’re trying to do, and for me, I feel like I let those kids down. And a lot of these kids have been let down enough. So that’s why the big push, push, push. It’s not a cure-all. We’re not the answer, but we’re trying to help.”
Tickets for the concert can be purchased at any YMCA of Centre County branch, at Hi-Way Pizza in Philipsburg, online, or the day of the event. Tickets will be sold for $15 per person for bleacher seating and $20 per person for seating on the field. Questions about the concert can be directed to Curtis at mcurtis@ymcaocc.org or (814) 342-0889.
