Ben Folds Five Concert Benefits Operation Smile
MySpace Launches New Music Program "Front to Back," Which Brings Together Artists to Perform Iconic Albums Live for the MySpace Community
Norfolk, VA –| On Sept 18, 2008 at the University of North Carolina Campus in Chapel Hill, popular rock band Ben Folds Five reunited for a live concert to benefit Operation Smile. This concert was the first in a series of titled "Front to Back" produced by MySpace.com. The concert will be broadcast in its entirety on MySpace later this fall. |
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| Operation Smile's table was situated right at the entrance of the beautiful Memorial Hall Auditorium. At the entrance and throughout the lobby area, students from the UNCG Speech and Hearing Department distributed handbills and fliers that talked about Operation Smile's medical missions and prompted concert goers to donate $5 to Operation Smile by texting the word "Smile" to 90999 on their cell phones. At the Operation Smile table, the mostly 20-something crowd, were invited to sign up for e-News and volunteers handed out wristbands, buttons, and t-shirts to those who pledged to take part in the texting campaign. |
| Before the concert, Operation Smile representatives Renee Hamilton and Brooke Marshall took to the stage to explain to the crowd the organization's work and encourage the audience to text and donate. Operation Smile reps also threw t-shirts out to the crowd. As concertgoers departed, many took informational fliers and sported blue Operation Smile wristbands to show their support. This was the first of Operation Smile's new texting campaign that will be developed to further raise funds and awareness for Operation Smile. |
