For the good of the community

Members of the Concert For Good band perform on stage at the Ocala Civic Theatre in Ocala, Fla. on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.

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Posted December 30, 2023 | By Susan Smiley-Height, susan@magnoliamediaco.com

You could feel the goodness in the air at the Ocala Civic Theatre on the evening of Dec. 29. And in addition to a wonderful performance, the Concert for Good raised money and donated items for three local nonprofits.

A late-night post on the event’s Facebook page noted: “Thank you! 300 plus tickets accounted for. $26,000 for good causes Brother’s Keeper and Marion County Children’s Alliance and over 1,500 items for The Rock Program.”

The Concert for Good was co-founded in 2021 by brothers Caleb and Luke Lombardo as a part of a family tradition to do something good for something or someone they care about around the holidays. In its first two years, the event raised $28,000 for local charities.

Luke Lombardo serves as emcee for the show and is an occasional vocalist. Caleb Lombardo takes the lead on event organization and plays piano and sings.

“It’s my senior year and I think that puts a different sense of meaning on a lot of things—especially time,” Caleb said in a prepared statement before the concert. “The concert is a family project. We spend time together working on making this all come together, and I am so thankful for more reasons to be together. That also applies to friends and fellow musicians. When rehearsals start, it brings together people who do not always get to see one another or even know one another, but music, faith and good causes bring us together.”

“The Marion County Children’s Alliance is so grateful to Caleb and Luke Lombardo and their family for the continued support,” said MCCA Executive Director Beth McCall in a news release. “Caleb and Luke are outstanding young men who have servant hearts that not only talk about giving to their community but are dedicated to action and making it happen.”

“Brother’s Keeper is so grateful and excited to be a part of this year’s Concert for Good. The demand for the services we provide has grown over the last few years, and thankfully, so has the Concert for Good,” added Jason Halstead, executive director of Brother’s Keeper.

Hosting the event at OCT connected the young men to Greg Thompson, executive and artistic director.

“One of the best parts of being a community theatre is being a place where we can all gather, create and support one another—the very essence of community. And we could not be happier to have these gifted young leaders in the arts bringing their hearts and talents to our stage to lift of the community and bring visibility and support to organizations that work to make us all better and stronger,” Thompson said in the release.

To learn more, go to concertforgood.com