Freshflow in the News
KALONA -- It is a Saturday night, and the Evans Family is in fast motion.
It's the family's third Christian concert. With recording artist John Waller as the headliner, they are hoping the community will take notice and support their ambition to make Iowa, especially Kalona, a hub for Christian music. Waller is one of the industry's quickest growing artists. Billboard magazine listed him as one of their musicians to watch in 2007.
What began as a home-school project has blossomed into a series of Christian concerts and seminars at the Iowa Mennonite School. If the community will back them, Pam Evans and her four daughters, plan to make Kalona a destination spot for upcoming as well as established Christian artists.
They've named their Christian concert ministry Fresh Flow.
"We are building," Pam Evans said, taking a few minutes to rest before feeding the band Dec. 8. "We are putting a lot of effort into the concerts to get people to come. "Everybody thinks we're crazy, but it's our passion. We wanted to see something fresh coming out."
Helping her are her daughters, Rebekah, 18, Rachel, 16, Sarah, 13 and Hannah, 10.
Because the girls are all big fans of Christian music, and there is not a lot of it in the area, Pam Evans decided to help her girls host a concert as a project. In July, the girls brought Robin Mark of Northern Ireland to the state. Though the concert attracted 250 attendees, the girls failed to break even with the endeavor. Still wanting to give it another shot, they brought in Michael Card in October. The concerts aren't cheap. They can cost as much as $6,000 or more.
The girls began doing jobs for companies owned by their father, Bill Evans. The jobs at Kalona Organics and Farmers' All Natural Creamery Dairy helped to raise funds for it. Mom even pitched in and worked. "It is a lot harder than we thought it would be," said Rachel Evans. "I don't know if it is because it is Kalona, and people think it might not be that great."
The girls do everything from marketing and making and putting up posters to preparing a meal for the band, taking tickets, ushering and cleanup. Though they have done better financially with the second two concerts, it still is by no means a lucrative endeavor.That's fine with the girls.
The music is reward enough, they say. After all, there is something unique and special to a live concert. "It's (the musicians') personalities," Rebekah said. "You can see what they are really like." And seeing the audience smile, dance and raise their arms up in praise is reward enough. "It is like putting on a big meal: You get a lot of enjoyment from watching people enjoy it," Pam Evans said.
The group's next performer is Phil Wickham on Feb. 2. They plan to bring Robin Mark back in July. Noah Parks, of Kalona, thinks the Evanses can pull the series off. He was one of the 100 audience members to brave the cold weather Dec. 8 to see John Waller.
"I think it is something the community needed," said Parks, 25. "Everything is going to build on this concert tonight. "Heather Kemp, of Kalona, also is a fan."I'm tickled," said Kemp, 25. "Kalona is a Christian community. I hope people will come out and support it. "Doug Stoltzfus, of rural Parnell, thinks the concerts make good use of the school's new auditorium, Celebration Hall.He and his wife came to the concert after hearing of it on the radio. "I think it could work, but it will have to be advertised pretty well," Stoltzfus said.
It's the family's third Christian concert. With recording artist John Waller as the headliner, they are hoping the community will take notice and support their ambition to make Iowa, especially Kalona, a hub for Christian music. Waller is one of the industry's quickest growing artists. Billboard magazine listed him as one of their musicians to watch in 2007.
What began as a home-school project has blossomed into a series of Christian concerts and seminars at the Iowa Mennonite School. If the community will back them, Pam Evans and her four daughters, plan to make Kalona a destination spot for upcoming as well as established Christian artists.
They've named their Christian concert ministry Fresh Flow.
"We are building," Pam Evans said, taking a few minutes to rest before feeding the band Dec. 8. "We are putting a lot of effort into the concerts to get people to come. "Everybody thinks we're crazy, but it's our passion. We wanted to see something fresh coming out."
Helping her are her daughters, Rebekah, 18, Rachel, 16, Sarah, 13 and Hannah, 10.
Because the girls are all big fans of Christian music, and there is not a lot of it in the area, Pam Evans decided to help her girls host a concert as a project. In July, the girls brought Robin Mark of Northern Ireland to the state. Though the concert attracted 250 attendees, the girls failed to break even with the endeavor. Still wanting to give it another shot, they brought in Michael Card in October. The concerts aren't cheap. They can cost as much as $6,000 or more.
The girls began doing jobs for companies owned by their father, Bill Evans. The jobs at Kalona Organics and Farmers' All Natural Creamery Dairy helped to raise funds for it. Mom even pitched in and worked. "It is a lot harder than we thought it would be," said Rachel Evans. "I don't know if it is because it is Kalona, and people think it might not be that great."
The girls do everything from marketing and making and putting up posters to preparing a meal for the band, taking tickets, ushering and cleanup. Though they have done better financially with the second two concerts, it still is by no means a lucrative endeavor.That's fine with the girls.
The music is reward enough, they say. After all, there is something unique and special to a live concert. "It's (the musicians') personalities," Rebekah said. "You can see what they are really like." And seeing the audience smile, dance and raise their arms up in praise is reward enough. "It is like putting on a big meal: You get a lot of enjoyment from watching people enjoy it," Pam Evans said.
The group's next performer is Phil Wickham on Feb. 2. They plan to bring Robin Mark back in July. Noah Parks, of Kalona, thinks the Evanses can pull the series off. He was one of the 100 audience members to brave the cold weather Dec. 8 to see John Waller.
"I think it is something the community needed," said Parks, 25. "Everything is going to build on this concert tonight. "Heather Kemp, of Kalona, also is a fan."I'm tickled," said Kemp, 25. "Kalona is a Christian community. I hope people will come out and support it. "Doug Stoltzfus, of rural Parnell, thinks the concerts make good use of the school's new auditorium, Celebration Hall.He and his wife came to the concert after hearing of it on the radio. "I think it could work, but it will have to be advertised pretty well," Stoltzfus said.
