From left to right: Lindsey Wilson, TFC Executive Director Ivy Gamble Cobb, Mark Anthony Lee, Beth Arentsen, & Three of Hearts producer Christian Wikane
This third year was a charm for our Three of Hearts event, featuring Lindsey Wilson, Mark Anthony Lee and Beth Arentsen, and produced by Christian Wikane at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theatre the evening of Saturday, February 26th. The performers each brought the house down in their varied ways, and Christian set a warm, welcoming tone for the evening, as he introduced the evening’s talent and led the audience to fall in love with the New York City children facing the loss or absence of a parent and receiving critical services at The Family Center.
A powerful guitarist and vocalist, Lindsey performed first and dedicated her set’s final song to The Family Center, which was an honor. We were thrilled when Mark took the stage next and accurately informed the audience, between his soulful melodies, that The Family Center served nearly 700 New York City families in 2010. To the audience’s delight, Beth announced that her sleeping infant daughter backstage had joined the Three of Hearts family as her set marked the evening’s end, which we were sorry to see come.
Board Member Barbara Blakney with Mark Anthony Lee
Between each performer, Christian adeptly engaged the audience in discussions about family and friends, and definitions for these everyday terms. He skillfully wove the conversation into a lesson about The Family Center and the need for agencies that do work like ours. One member of the audience shared that she had lost family members in her life, and Christian and those present with her at Three of Hearts had become a whole new family for her. Christian reminded us about the evening’s focus: those New York City children who need a family and how The Family Center provides the right set of services so those children need never ask again: “Who will take care of me?”
Thank you from The Family Center family to Christian, Lindsey, Mark and Beth for helping us answer this question for children in our community.