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Editor's note: Today The Sentinel adds a new chapter to its "Spotlight on Sharing" series which is published on the third Tuesday of each month. Featured are stories that focus on people and organizations who give back to the Juniata Valley in a meaningful way. Whether through the donation of time, resources, ideas or manpower, their efforts help make our community a place we are proud to call home.

From staff reports

MIFFLINTOWN - This year's Save Thanksgiving Food Pantry Benefit Concert is slated for 6 to 11 p.m. on Friday at the Central Juniata EMS Building in Mifflintown.

The concert promises a diverse and original evening of music and art to benefit the Juniata County Food Pantry.

The show coincides with the food pantry's move to its new larger location on North Main Street in Mifflintown. The charity recently organized a capital campaign to pay down its mortgages so it can put more of its resources to meet current needs, which are at record levels.

Accordingly, admission to the benefit is by donation of either food items or cash. There also is a particular need this year for non-food items such household cleaning items, personal hygiene products and paper goods.

In addition this year, donations of pet food are requested.

"Pets suffer in an economic downturn too," the show's organizers said. "If it's hard to feed your family, it's harder to feed your pets."

The show this year represents an alliance of art and music, being co-produced by the Big Tree Festival organizers and the Juniata Cultural Arts Committee.

The musical line-up was largely drawn from bands that performed at September's Big Tree Festival. A coinciding on-site art show will exhibit works by local photographers and painters. All artists are donating their time and talents to raise funds and supplies for a vital community service, at a time of year when needs are greater than ever.

Preparations for the show have been going on for weeks.

"Actually," said Jon Mertz, one of the organizers, "we started planning for this one as soon as last year's concert was over."

Last year's event was organized on short notice, but proved to be a success, and it was unanimously agreed to make the show an annual event.

"We were very happy with the way things went last year, but you can always do better. So that's been our goal - to raise more money, more awareness, more food, and to showcase the natural talent this area is blessed with," Mertz said.

"This year we have a bigger sound system. The line-up for this show is amazing! Bands that are world-class and absolutely original, coupled with some very reclusive artists who rarely play in public. Blues bands. Pop bands. Gypsy jazz. Carter Family songs. It's an evening of entertainment you won't see anywhere else in the world," he said.

There is a sense of events coming full circle for the band with which Mertz performs, Rotten Belly Blues.

"We were just in the planning stages of the album ("Rotten Belly Blues" released in October on Dead Sea Records) last year when we did the benefit. Most of the people who helped us make it were part of the show. As a direct result of that night, we found the studio we used (Right Coast Recording in Columbia) and our piano player, Kyle (Morgan, who also plays guitar and sings with the band). Now, a year later, the album's out and starting to get airplay and good reviews. It's selling on CD Baby and Digstation. The band has grown by leaps and bounds. Once again, we feel like it's time to be thankful for our good fortune, and to give a little back," Mertz said.

Musically, the theme for the evening is diversity, as musical styles from Americana to electronica will be presented by local performers.

The Primaks - Sam, Matt and Luke - have been preparing an electronic overture to open the show, with their sonically adventurous band, Appalachian Translator.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Heggs - Tom and Sue Hipple and Tessa Gross - have been honing a set of originals and covers to follow their acclaimed performance at the Big Tree.

"The set is all different (from the festival song list), except for one," said Sue Hipple, vocalist and songwriter. In addition to her husband, Tom, on banjo and their friend, Gross, on banjo, guitar and cello, the Heggs may be joined by some guest musicians.

Also preparing for the show are Blue Heron, a trio formed by David Kirkland on guitar, his wife, Delphine, on vocals and flute, and Clark Lewin on guitar.

"We're excited to be part of this," said Delphine Kirkland.

The band's music is jazz-influenced, and they have been rehearsing both originals and standards, including a Billie Holiday tune, for their highly-anticipated set.

The Click Clack Boom, fresh from high-profile gigs in Boston and New York and getting rave reviews for its new single "Open Hands," will return to frontman Nathaniel Hoho's hometown to deliver a set of power-packed art pop.

Erica Shellenberger, whose set at the Big Tree festival was one of that day's highlights, will close the show.

Shellenberger is a Juniata County native who has been singing around the area most of her life.

In the past six years, she has appeared with the Danny Boy Brown All-Stars, the Digs, the Appellations and most recently with Rotten Belly Blues.

Her band will feature Dave Crane, Mike Peters and Jon Mertz.

Shellenberger also has been involved in planning both benefit shows - in fact, they grew out of a conversation she had with Rotten Belly Michael last fall.

"The seed was planted when I heard a piece on the radio last fall about the dire needs of county food banks across the state. Michael and I talked about it and immediately thought that a benefit concert would be a great way to not only help out families in need, but to showcase all the local musicians we had recently been connecting with and come together for a good cause. Michael works fast when he gets a good idea. He started making phone calls the next day to make it happen," Shellenberger said.

"We would hope that this would become a tradition, and continue to happen after we're gone," Michael said. "It would be a nice legacy."

Other performers scheduled for the evening include the Truth Junkies and Billy Stoner. The sponsors of this year's show are the Juniata Veterinary Clinic, Beward Pharmacy, Impressions Printing & Publishing and Two Sisters.

Doors open at 6 p.m., and food will be available on site from Woofy's Coney Island Dogs. Music starts at 7 pm.