Though their ages range from 11 to 53, the contestants in the Fourth Annual Idol Night all have one thing in common. Each of them knows at least one person who has battled cancer or lost the fight to the disease. This year, Idol Night will be at the Wagon Wheel Theatre, Warsaw, May 20 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $14 for adults and $8 for children, and are available at the Wagon Wheel Box Office. Idol Night is put on by the K21 Health Foundation, with all funds raised from the evening going to the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund to help local people who have been directly affected by cancer. Each finalist will sing and take comments from mock judges. The mock judges this year include Josh Elam, Katie Kubacki and one other. The winner will be determined by how much money the contestants raise before the event and during Idol Night. During intermission, the audience has the opportunity to place donations in their favorite singer’s box in the WWT lobby. The prize for first place is $1,000. During intermission, the Future Idols sing. Last year’s Idol Night raised about $60,000. Ali Reith, 20, Warsaw, said she is taking part in Idol Night “for my stepsister (Bailey Moore) who lost her battle to leukemia, and for my cousin Eric Scott, who passed away in August” five or six years ago, she said. Reith plans to sing “Firework” by Katy Perry. The song was used in a memorial video for Moore on YouTube, Reith said. Kendall Cox, 11, Warsaw, said her basketball coach had cancer. Cox said supporting the Cancer Care Fund is important because “it helps a lot of families because a lot of them don’t have a lot of money.” She plans to sing “Amazing Grace” because it has a good testimony and she thought it would be a good song to sing. Many of the patients Brian Reichenbach, 34, Warsaw, sees have benefitted from the Cancer Care Fund. “I saw (Idol Night) the last couple of years and it seemed like fun night,” Reichenbach said. He plans to sing “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds. He said it’s just a song he likes and has some nice lyrics. Idol Night will be the first time he’s performed on stage in about 10 to 12 years, Reichenbach said. “I had a dad who died from cancer when he was 47,” said Rick Whitaker, 53, Warsaw. “I had a cousin who died last week of cancer.” Whitaker chose to sing “You Raise Me” by Josh Groban. “I just thought it would be an appropriate song for that. It’s talking about people being down and the Lord raising you up,” Whitaker said. Whitaker has sang the national anthem for the Orlando Magic and the Warsaw Community High School basketball games for the past 13 years. He also has sang in Southern Gospel singing competitions. “I just think it’s a really good organization. I just wanted to help out,” said Donna Crill, 40, Mentone, of why she decided to take part in Idol Night this year. “I had an uncle die of cancer a month ago, and I had some friends deal with cancer,” she said. She plans to sing “Bubbly” by Colbie Cailait. “It just has a special meaning to me,” Crill said. Performing in a trio will be Zach Riley, 11, Leesburg; Will McGarvey, 11, Leesburg; and Alex Bergen, 11, Warsaw. Asked why they were participating, Bergen said, “I am because I just saw it last year and I thought it would be cool to sing in it. My great-grandma had cancer.” “I know some people who have died from cancer and I thought it would be fun to do it,” said McGarvey. The boys said they plan to sing Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feelin’”, but plan to change some of the words. Ashlynn Robbins, 14, Pierceton, said she was asked by her mom’s friend, Darlene Carfold, who is helping with Idol Night, to participate. Friday afternoon, she wasn’t sure what song she will sing, but she has done a lot of talent shows before. The Cancer Care Fund is important, Robbins said, because, “I had a great aunt who died from (cancer).” Singing is one of Breanna Mayer’s biggest passions, she said. Mayer, 15, Warsaw, plans to sing “This Little Light” by Addison Road because “they always say everyone has light in their soul and you got to keep it burning no matter the hard times.” “My grandma and aunt both passed away this year so cancer has really impacted my life,” she said. In the past 12 years, the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund has provided more than $1 million in financial assistance to more than 800 families in Kosciusko County. The fund helps with expense such as mortgage payments, insurance, car payments, utilities, gas cards and more. All proceeds go toward helping cancer patients who are in treatment and who live in Kosciusko County. Idol Nite committee includes Dave Stell, Cindy Knafel, David Ganz, Pam Starkweather, Francie Harrold, Tony Knafel, Robin Merrick, Diane McGarvey and Nicole Kelly.
