The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra will jazz up the night Aug. 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. inside St. Jude Catholic Church Family Life Center as dancers swing in to action on the floor.
The big band style dance is a fundraiser for World of Hope Foundation Inc. Tennessee Isaiah 58 Chapter, which sends medical mission teams around the world. The local team has served in eight medical missions in the Philippines.
“The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra plays 300 nights per year around the world,” said World of Hope Foundation Inc. local chapter President Sandy Leffew. “They made the song ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’ famous. This band is really fabulous. It’s a first-class musical orchestra.”
The evening will help further World of Hope Foundation’s mission, both at home and abroad.
“World of Hope Foundation started out as a child sponsorship organization,” said Leffew. “We do child sponsorships in India, the Philippines, Mexico and the United States. When Katrina hit, we helped out with a lot of families hit by the flood.”
The foundation was initiated by Father Michael Semana who came to Chattanooga to do a mission at St. Jude Catholic Church, said Leffew. After the mission, he asked Leffew to take charge of a Tennessee chapter that specializes in medical care.
“We have a great group of members who work tirelessly behind the scenes as well as those who support our efforts by attending our functions and donors who combined make this work possible,” said Leffew. “With God’s grace the work continues.”
She said the medical missions teams need doctors, nurses and other medical personnel, while the overall organization needs partners to help fund medical missions to India, purchase medical equipment to treat cancer patients in Mexico and fund surgical missions to the Philippines.
“In our missions we treat from 500 to 2,500 people,” said Leffew. “We treat tuberculosis, tropical illnesses, skin diseases, blood pressure and thyroid problems.”
She said she remembers a mother in Laoag, Philippines, bringing in her son with clubbed feet. The team performed surgery on his feet and medical missionaries were able to see him run and play again.
“When a child is sponsored through an organization it feeds the whole family,” said Leffew. “When we come in we treat the whole community, not just sponsor families. We opened a small clinic in Cabuyao Laguna, Philippines for ongoing care.”
• St. Jude Church Family Life Center is at 930 Ashland Terrace. Tickets will be sold at the door for the World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra dance/concert. Tickets are $50 per individual and $35 per senior or student. For reservations or more information call 821-8088 or 544-4445. Seating is limited. Light hors d’ oeuvres, wine, beer and a cash bar will be available. Events at Lookout Lake will sponsor the event.