G&F Band

Each summer for more than a dozen years, Jeanne has organized a sprawling parking lot festival for kids at the Harley Davidson dealership to benefit our Children’s Hospital. To entertain these crowds, she would invite musicians, dancers, popular university athletes, and set-up games of family fun like dunk-the-doctor for wanna-be baseball pitchers. Parents, patients, and hospital staff would attend the street party. In the springtime, Jeanne would organize a gala dinner with a Roast-a-Doc evening extravaganza on behalf of the Children’s Hospital. Families and staff would attended to watch nurses and doctors gently poke fun at a favorite physician.

Last month, however, Jeanne announced her retirement. As always, Gainor & Friends performed Bluegrass music welcoming arriving attendees to her final fund-raiser, a farewell dinner dance party. She holds a bouquet of flowers in the center of our above band photo.

After our pre-dinner performance, the band adjourned to a nearby restaurant for our annual family and guests meal together.

During the yearly repast, we reflected on Jeanne`s generosity of spirit and boundless energy. All will miss her precious heart of gold.

For as many years, the G&F Singers have entertained quarterly on the pediatric ward. A few days before the above festivities, the quartet performed an autumn fun-filled songfest in the play room to the enjoyment of kids, parents, grandparents, and staff.

Thank-you ladies, for your heartfelt and golden group vocals.

Twenty-four years ago, the BRC founder recruited a group of Bluegrass musicians to perform at an inaugural autumn Pumpkin Festival in a nearby farming village. All tips were donated to the local Children`s Hospital, and thus began what is now nearly a quarter century of jam sessions supporting the Children’s Miracle Network.

Since then, the band has performed benefits at multiple venues in mid Missouri including saloons, street festivals, and gala dinners. On special holiday occasions, our vocal trio sings at the bedsides of hospitalized children. For the last decade, the `Gainor & Friends` pickers and singers have been graciously based at a family-friendly brewpub in our university town where we perform every Sunday for the brunch hour patrons. This last week, our total tip collections for the Children’s Hospital surpassed $25K in donations. 

At the brewpub, curious children come up to the bandstand to study the musicians and dance to the upbeat music and song. The bandleader allows the youngsters to strum his banjo while smiling parents take photos and videos. The youngsters are then asked to raise their right hand and take the “Banjo Kid Pledge”  which is as follows: I promise to always do what my mom and dad say.

Parents beam and the music goes on. Lucky us- what could be more fun on a Sunday afternoon?

It was a busy month. Glowing comments to make a banjo guy`s head spin, customers` e-feedback on two purchased BRC 5-stringers were “Even more beautiful in person and sounds great!” and “Thanks!!! Lovely instrument and work of art.” Shortly after receipt of  these much appreciated and heady remarks, St. Patrick`s Day came around at mid month, and the BRC founders`s band was notified:

“Amigos- Last weekend, our total tip collections for the MU Children`s Hospital surpassed $24K. Gainor & Friends is grateful to the Broadway Brewery for graciously hosting our band and supporting child health care in Missouri. On average, the G&F musicians have donated $1K per year to the Children`s Miracle Network since our beginnings well over two decades ago. You guys are the best.”

These hearty congratulations for this milestone were promptly followed by the first calendar day of Spring which hopefully concludes our remarkably inclement Missouri winter. The lake behind the BRC workshop has thawed, and the shoreline is beginning to slowly green again in the gleam of revived sunshine. The clan of turtles that resides in waters at the foot of our weeping willow tree will soon reemerge from their deep hideaways as temperatures rise. A seasonal question from a grandchild: If April showers bring May flowers, what do Mayflowers bring?

Answer: Pilgrims