More than 300 attended the a cappella concert fundraiser organized by “Justice for Lily,” a nonprofit group created in memory of two-year-old Lily Furneaux-Wolfenbarger, who died Nov. 20, 2010 allegedly due to the actions of her stepmother. The stepmother is in a Macomb County jail with a $1-million bond; an evidentiary court hearing is scheduled for April 27 and 28.

The Sunday concert helped raise $982 in a two-hour period.

The stage was decorated with pictures of Lily and pink balloons as Lily’s mother, Central Michigan University alumna Lauren Furneaux, spoke of her daughter and began the event.

“My blue ribbon is for child abuse and sexual abuse,” said Chico Furneaux, Lily’s maternal grandfather.

Chico, like many other attendees, wore a white shirt with a screen-print picture of Lily.

Three campus a cappella groups performed at the fundraiser.

“The last time we had Lily we went to an On The Rox show and she loved it,” Lauren Furneaux said.

Central Harmony began the concert with a rendition of “Zombie,” originally by the Cranberries. They were followed by On The Rox and Fish N Chips.

Canton senior Cayte Spaulding said her heart goes out to the family because two of her sisters were abused. She said she still remembers the hardships from that experience.

“I understand the importance in terms of awareness and supporting the families during what they’re going through,” Spaulding said. “I sympathize with the family.”

Lauren Furneaux said the fundraiser’s proceeds will be donated to grief counseling and a problem pregnancy center.

“Our goal is to raise awareness for child abuse and to save lives,” she said.

There are five big events coming in the summer and Justice for Lily has people writing it to support the cause, Lauren Furneaux said.

New Baltimore senior Emma Orczykowski was glad she came out to benefit the cause.

“I’d like to help out in any way that I can,” she said.

Donations can be given and more information can be found through the “Justice for Lily” Facebook page, at www.justiceforlily.com, by attending future events and sending donations to P.O. Box 312 Metamora, 48455.

The Sounds of the Season performance will consist of The MountainTown Singers, Central Harmony, Fish N’ Chips, On the Rox, Ebb N’ Flow, Northern Rhapsody and the CMU Brass Quintet.

Admission will be donation-based with all proceeds benefiting the Isabella County Soup Kitchen.

“I think it’s really cool that all of the a cappella groups are doing a show together,” Westland junior Megan Minier said. “All of the groups are really unique. So it will make for a great show. I am looking forward to it.”

Brighton junior Ben Krinke, a member of Ebb N’ Flow, said his group will perform some Christmas songs along with some classic barbershop songs. Krinke also expressed his excitement for playing with all of the other a cappella groups at CMU.

“I think it’s a great way to showcase the variety of talent on campus,” Krinke said. “I think the concert will demonstrate that a cappella music comes in many different forms.”

Rochester Hills freshman and Central Harmony singer Miranda Sigelko said she is very excited to perform with her colleagues.

“All the groups are really friendly with each other, and I am really looking forward to hearing the other groups sing their songs,” Sigelko said. “With a cappella music there are no two groups that sound the same, just one voice can set the sound apart, different groups will always interpret songs in different ways.”

Sigelko said each group will sing for 15 to 20 minutes and will combine Christmas songs with songs from their usual set lists.

“We have a couple of Christmas songs planned,” Krinke said. “One that is brand new, in addition to some classic barbershop songs.”

Krinke said he is looking forward to hearing all of the groups sing, but was especially looking forward to hearing Northern Rhapsody perform.

“They are a brand new barbershop youth chorus that will be competing in Las Vegas early next year,” Krinke said. “The group is comprised of young guys from around the state and I’m sure they will impress.”

The Dickens Christmas Festival, an annual city event, begins Friday at 4 p.m. and culminates Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

Michelle Sponseller, director of downtown development, will attend and plans on enjoying the festivities Friday and Saturday.

“It’s just a really nice way for the downtown businesses to give back to the community over the holidays for being so good to us throughout the year,” she said.

The festival was created by a local children’s bookstore owner, inspired by Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” She named her store and the festival “Dickens.”

The celebration includes local musicians and carolers singing in the streets and in stores, trolley rides throughout the neighborhoods, arts and crafts, storytelling, carriage rides, warming stations, a live nativity scene and a lighted parade.

A Santa Claus statue will be accompanied by “reindeer” and will participate in the festival from Broadway and Main streets. The statue will continue to be displayed until Christmas.

Sacred Heart Parish, 302 S. Kinney Ave., will host a pancake breakfast 8 a.m. Saturday as part of the festivities.

Nearly all the events during the festival are completely free of charge. Kids will be able to participate in arts and crafts, storytelling and in-store entertainment.

Kathy Hill, creative director of Art Reach on Broadway, 111 E. Broadway St., will also participate in the festival as the business stays open for the whole duration.

“This is the biggest weekend that we will have over the holidays,” Hill said. “There will be a lot of live music in the store, and we will be having a ‘make-and-take’ crafts station for children.”

Other local businesses including Max and Emily’s, 125 E. Broadway St., will participate in the event this year.

The owner of the cafe, Tim Brockman, said the restaurant will have extended hours through the festival as one of the businesses the parade passes by.

“At Max and Emily’s the children can decorate Christmas cookies,” Brockman said.

Brockman said registration for the 5k Dickens run will begin at 8 a.m., and the run will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday morning. The run is hosted by Striders.

Central Michigan University’s all-female a capella group, On the Rox, will be performing at the event this year.

The festival is capped off Saturday night with a lighted Christmas parade at 6:00 p.m.

“Right now with the economy, it’s hard for families. We want to offer a great holiday experience that won’t cost anything and where people can just enjoy themselves while giving them the chance to explore the local businesses. It’s to help the community at large,” Sponsellor said. “We always try and make the festival bigger and better than the previous year.”

The show started off with a Beatles medley performed by the Accafellas, a guest male a cappela group from Michigan State University.

The ladies of On The Rox took the stage and sang several radio favorites including, “King of Anything” and “Only Exception” as well as older songs including “Hit Me” and “It’s Raining Men.”

“‘It’s Raining Men’ is probably my favorite” said Dearborn senior Stephanie Turner, a member of On the Rox. “ It’s one of our more crazy, ridiculous songs.”

The Accafellas joined the On the Rox ladies during their performance of ‘It’s Raining Men’ and entertained the crowd by dancing up and down the isles.

The show had several different events including a beat-boxing competition, a raffle drawing and numerous popular performances.

“The crowd seemed to enjoy the show, they were clapping along. It’s always fun to get energy back from the crowd.” said Turner.

Marne freshman Aleasha Bergman was one of the competitors in the on-stage beat-boxing competition.

“It was really scary, I was shaking” said Bergman. “It turned out bad for me because I ended up going against two really good people.”

On the Rox consists of twelve girls ranging from freshmen to seniors. The songs are all original arrangements,  Turner said.

“Performing songs can be challenging when you’re not using instruments” said Megan Sitko, Virginia Beach sophomore and On the Rox member. “ All us girls have really great personalities and we all love to sing, so we make it work.”

Sitko said “’Something to Talk About’ is probably her favorite song to perform, and she enjoys giving it her all and getting to be goofy on stage.

“We hold auditions at the beginning of the semester” said Turner. “All the girls are awesome, we’ve gotten really close, it’s really fun to be up there performing with your friends.”

The all-male a cappella group’s rendition of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” received a roaring standing ovation.

They were not the only group on stage that night.

The all-female a cappella group On The Rox joined the gentlemen for a spring concert Saturday in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium.

“This was one of the better concerts,” said Tecumseh sophomore Sarah Nowak, a singer in On The Rox. “A lot of preparation went into this show and everyone was really dedicated.”

The performance opened with a video introducing the members of both groups.

On the Rox kicked off the night with a cover of Jordin Sparks’ hit song “Battlefield.”

The girls were clothed in matching white shirts and black pants as they swayed to the beat.

Then it was time for Fish N Chips to hit the stage.

The group opened its performance with Gavin DeGraw’s “Chariot.”

On The Rox alumni joined the group in singing ’80’s pop-rock song “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” by Pat Benatar.

The groups transformed their appearances for the second half of the concert.

On The Rox came out in matching pink and black and Fish N’ Chips donned blue and white baseball T-shirts.

“I love performing with the boys,” Nowak said. “They balance our craziness out and they make us laugh.”

Nowak said she was a bit nervous about performing for a full house.

“It’s a little intimidating during the show,” she said.

Wixom sophomore Ryan Anderson performed several solos for Fish N Chips, including one from ‘N Sync.

Both groups performed songs from all different time periods including Kings Of Leon’s “Use Somebody” and ‘N Sync’s “This I Promise You.”

“We were really nervous before,” Anderson said.

Fish N Chips had a beat-boxer creating a vocal background beat throughout the concert.

“It’s good for us to show off what we got,” Anderson said. “As long as people are coming, we’ll keep putting on a show.”

The celebration is from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday with horse-drawn carriage rides for $5 and free trolley rides.

Central Michigan University’s a capella group On the Rox will perform from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in front of Downtown Drugs, 121 E. Broadway St.

“We love doing anything for the community and we all love the holidays,” said On the Rox President and Big Rapids senior Nicole Bouman.

The group also will walk up and down the street, caroling traditional Christmas songs and taking requests.

“We would like to get everyone singing with us,” Bouman said.

Saturday’s events will begin at 8 a.m. with a pancake breakfast for $6 a person or free for children younger than 4 years old.

“The pancake breakfast is all you can eat, so people love it,” said Mount Pleasant Downtown Development Director Michelle Sponseller.

The festivities will continue all Saturday until 9 p.m.

“There will be everything from carolers in the street to baking cookies,” Sponseller said.

Four “Santa’s Workshop” stations will be set up for children in the afternoon. From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., they can decorate cookies at Max and Emily’s Bakery Cafe, 125 E. Broadway St., or make crafts at the Art Reach Center, 319 S. University Ave. From noon to 4:30 p.m., they can get their faces painted at Murphy’s Beauty College, 201 W. Broadway St., or get free classes all afternoon at the Vision Studio of Performing Arts, 131 E. Broadway St.

At night, downtown will come to life with the Lighted Christmas Parade at 6 p.m.

“The Lighted Christmas Parade is very big,” Sponseller said. “Everything is lit up and it’s wonderful.”

Every year, they pick a group to feature as the grand marshal of the parade and, this year, it is Toys for Tots.

Free hay rides will be offered Saturday night, along with more horse-drawn carriage rides. There will be free hot chocolate stations set up throughout the area.

“I think the performance went so well, we had so much energy,” Hilliard, a first soprano with the group, said. “It was a really good turnout.”

The all female 11 member a cappella group performed a wide variety of songs and choreographed dances to a crowd Friday night in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium.

The performance included a love medley featuring songs like Pat Benatar’s “Love is a Battlefield” and the Beatles “All You Need is Love” as well as a top 40 mix and Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.”

“It is so much fun. All the girls are great and we are a very close nit group,” Hilliard said. “We are an amazing group of fun girls and more people should come out and see our shows because they are awesome.”

Hilliard is in her first semester with the group after transferring to CMU last year.

“I’ve always been a singer and I came to CMU hoping to get a chance to perform and make friends doing it and On the Rox was the perfect opportunity,” she said. “I heard about auditions and I auditioned this fall after I saw signs in the music building and on Facebook.”

Troy sophomore Nicole Sieja said she enjoyed her first time seeing “On the Rox” perform.

“I really liked the end of the show when they did all the songs popular on the radio,” she said. “That was really cool.”

She said her favorite part of the performance was by the Michigan State University “Accafellas,” a nine member all male a cappella group.

As the opening act they performed songs like “Yellow” by Coldplay and “Walking in Memphis” by Marc Cohn.

“I can’t pick a favorite song, they were all really good,” Sieja said. “I really enjoy listening to stuff like this. It was a really good performance and people should come out to the next one.”

The City of Mount Pleasant is removing two flashing red lights at two intersections today — Main and Broadway and Main and Michigan. The Mount Pleasant City Commission approved the removal of the lights at its Oct. 12 meeting. The lights were installed in 2005 to help drivers adjust to the intersections being four-way stops, but now the lights are being removed to save on electric costs. The intersection of Broadway and Washington also is a four-way stop. The flashing light will remain there to allow drivers to adjust. The Commission will evaluate the need for the light in the near future.

David Garcia Project

The David Garcia Project presents a disabilities awareness open session from 6 to 7:30 p.m. today in the Bovee University Center Isabella Room. The event is meant to give knowledge to people about the effects of disabilities. For more information, contact Jenny Jordan at the Volunteer Center at 774-7685 or volunteer.center@cmich.edu.

Dance marathon

Individuals will participate in a dance marathon starting at 10 p.m. today, with check-in beginning at 9:30 p.m. The cost is $7 for pre-registered contestants and $10 at the door. Elimination is based on lack of continuous dance movements. Contestants will compete for a grand prize while dancing to popular music, enjoying food and hanging out with friends. All proceeds go to United Way. For more information, contact Jackie Heiss at (313) 550-6280 or heiss1jk@cmich.edu.

Men, Women and Ghosts

Ghost stories and tales of the supernatural will take place from 7:30 to 9 p.m. today in the Moore Hall Theatre-on-the-Side. The supernatural stories are presented in an intimate, original theatre piece, featuring works from Shirley Jackson, Elia Wilkinson, Peattie and Pulitizer Prize winner Edith Wharton and Amy Lowell. For more information, contact Betsy Richard at 774-4299 or richa1ej@cmich.edu.

On the Rox concert

On the Rox performs from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. today in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium. Central Michigan University’s premiere all-female a cappella group presents its fall concert and also features the Michigan State University Accafellas. Tickets are $5 in advance and $6 at the door. For more information, contact Nicole Bouman at (231) 250-2259 or bouma1na@cmich.edu. For a full story, see cm-life.com.

Art exhibit

The sculptural works in Ritual Regalia for Contemporary Living are displayed from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the University Art Gallery’s Main Gallery. These items are wearable and conceptually wearable garments. They are designed to illuminate contemporary society’s need for ceremony and ritual. The garments are constructed with a sense of irony and humor. For more information, contact Anne Gochenour 774-3800 or goche1as@cmich.edu.

Race for Second Base

The Central Michigan District Health Department Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program is holding a 5k run/walk from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Finch Fieldhouse Room 110. There is a raffle, as well as prizes for the top male/female participants. Registration is $15. For more information, or to become a sponsor of the event, contact Sarah Cardon at (989) 506-3199 or raceforsecondbase@gmail.com.

Family Adventure Night

Family Adventure Night is taking place from 6 to 9 p.m. today in Finch Fieldhouse Room 112. This adventure night is presented by Adventure Seminars. It features rock climbing and zip lining. The event is $10 for the entire family with all ages welcome. For more information, contact Jordan Bruursema at (616) 994-2694 or bruur1jr@cmcih.edu.

The group, composed of 11 women who sing and dance to a wide variety of music, are getting prepared for their fall show tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium. Tickets are $5 at the Box Office and $6 at the door.

“We sing classical music, oldies, stuff you hear on the radio, some Michael Jackson, Pat Benatar, we even have a top 40 mix,” Big Rapids senior Nicole Bouman said. “We work very hard.”

She said the group practices three to four times every week because they perform so many musical selection during performances.
“We’ll be singing about an hour and half of music,” Bouman said.

But “On The Rox” doesn’t just sing, they also do some choreographed dancing.

“We have choreography to most songs,” she said. “It’s fun and it’s usually goofy.”

“On The Rox” has been on Central’s campus for six years. It all began when the founder, Nicole Borden, thought it was time for women to have a group as well.

“‘Fish and Chips’ is an all guys group and Nicole thought the girls should have one too,” Bouman said.

The group is made of all types of students, not just music majors.

Bouman, for example, is studying to become a teacher.

“Its all about making good music, having fun, entertaining people, and forming bonds,” Walker junior Katie Hillyard said.

Jillyard joined four semesters ago and said she loves it.

“I learned about it from a friend and it sounded really interesting,” Hillyard said.

She said she has been singing all her life and is really excited about the Fall Concert.

Michigan State University’s men a cappella group “Accafella’s” will also perform Friday. They are going to open for “On The Rox.”
“I’m really excited,” Hillyard said. “I can’t wait to show people what we’ve got.”

Parking Lot 18, on the corner of Franklin and Preston streets, will be closed today for the Public Relations Internship Fair. The fair takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. today on the top floor of the Bovee University Center. Various PR business and nonprofit organizations are participating. There is no charge for the event.

Unified Holiday Celebration

The 12th annual Unified Holiday Celebration will take place from 5-8 p.m. Thursday in the Bovee University Center Rotunda. Minority Student Services presents performances that showcase diverse holidays varying from Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year Pow wow. Tables will be set up to display cultural and religious histories that provide information about different organizations, faiths and holidays represented. Food will be served. The event is free. Contact Minority Student Services for more information at 774-3945.

‘Chippewa’ nickname forum

“What it means to be a Chippewa: A Forum to Discuss the Chippewa Nickname” will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday in the Bovee University Center Auditorium. Panelists will discuss issues that touch on topics from college mascots, stereotypes, the “Chippewa” nickname and reteaching accurate history of Native Americans. The free event is co-sponsored by the Office of Native American Programs, Office for Institutional Diversity and the College of Humanities & Social & Behavioral Sciences. The event also is a part of Native American Heritage Month. Contact Native American Programs director Colleen Green at 774-2508 for more information.

SAP grant summary

The SAP Grant Summary Report selection screen has been improved. The first field on the selection screen is now the grant number. In order to run the report, people must enter the grant number in the first box on the screen. Previously, the grant number field was listed as the second box. If detailed assistance is needed on how to get to this screen, please see the Principal Investigator’s Training Manual for WBS or call Accounting Services at 774-3707.

On the Rox

All-female a cappella group On the Rox will present its fall concert from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Friday at Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium. Tickets are $5 in advance and $6 at the door. The event also will feature the Michigan State University Accafellas. For more information, contact Nicole Bouman at bouma1na@cmich.edu or (231) 250-2259.

A New Look at Hitler

“A New Look at Hitler and the Beginning of the Holocaust” will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday in the Bovee University Center Auditorium. World War II scholar Gerhard Weinberg will give the lecture for Central Michigan University’s Harold Abel Endowed Lecture Series in the Study of Dictatorship, Democracy and Genocide. For more information, contact Sarah Buckley at 774-1788. Admission is free.