Thursday, November 10, 2005

Long-time recording artist and former lead singer with the original members of the world famous "Platters", Virgil Gibson will perform in concert Saturday, November 12 at the Goodnight Auditorium in Franklin.

The event starts at 7:30 p.m. with proceeds to help with the "Logan Byard Family Fund" and the newly created "Logan's League," a group dedicated to helping other families with medical and financial needs.

Gibson performed at the Franklin Music Festival in September with headliner Rhonda Vincent.

“I have five children of my own. My heart goes out to any child who needs help,” he said. “I’ve been blessed in so many ways. It’s a privilege to help a special child like Logan.”

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 10 and under and free for children 5 and under. Tickets can be obtained at the door or purchased at the Franklin Bank & Trust main office or at Chaney’s Dairy Barn on Nashville Road in Rich Pond. Everyone who wishes to help 4-year-old Logan in this battle is invited to the performance. There will be Logan’s Day T-shirts for sale at the concert. “The Giorgios” (Mike, Kelli & Kyla) from Bowling Green also will perform at the event. Those wishing to make a contribution can do so at any branch of Franklin Bank & Trust, c/o “Logan Byard Family Fund.”

Logan Byard has been at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville on life-support for more than a month. He was born at Vanderbilt with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: his stomach, liver and intestines were lodged around his heart and lungs. This was caused because his diaphragm did not seal off and the organs migrated to his chest cavity through the opening. He was not supposed to live. But immediate surgery and being on life-support the first 49 days of his life, saved him.

His bedroom at home looks like a hospital room, and is filled with life-saving equipment, an oxygen-producing machine, and monitors. He is on oxygen 24 hours a day. Logan had open-heart surgery at 13 months for sub-aortic stenosis (thickening of the muscle around the aorta, narrowing blood flow). He has had three other surgeries since then. Logan recently had surgery for 'Chronic Reflux Disease' to help close off his esophagus to stop him from aspirating stomach acids into his lungs.

Logan is the son of Brandon and Kyla Byard of Bowling Green. Money raised at the concert will go toward helping the family with expenses related to

Logan's medical needs. The volunteer group supporting this cause will use this concert as a stepping stone to continue periodically to raise money for area children with medical needs. The first benefit was conducted Oct. 22 at Chaney’s Dairy Barn. After experiencing this success, the group decided to continue this form of ministry by forming “Logan’s League.” This group will hopefully become the nucleus for helping other families who experience a medical crisis such as Logan's.

For more information or tickets, contact Kelli Giorgio at Franklin Bank & Trust, 586-2507, or Chaney’s at 843-5567.