By Donna Thornton/News Editor
George and Patsy Iliff count the Etowah County Animal Shelter as one of their adopted shelter, and they have organized a Christian rock concert set for 6 p.m. Sept. 29 to raise money for needed work at the shelter.
The Rhett Walker Band, More Than This and Rush of Fools will perform, and guest speaker will be author and student pastor Acton Bowen. Bowen, of Gadsden, served as chaplain at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
The Etowah County An-imal Shelter is operated by the county. Iliff said he hopes to use proceeds from the show to purchase a heating and cooling system for the shelter, and elevated beds for the animals that end up at the shelter.
Iliff said he expects the heating and cooling system to cost about $10,000 adn the elevated beds will run about $3,000.
And those are not the only needs at the shelter, he said. A taller fence — six to eight feet — is needed so larger shelter animals can have outdoor exercise and a new stainless steel feeding system also is needed.
“It’s just a labor of love for the animals,” Iliff said.
He said Josh Dodd has been helping with tickets sales for this show, and they hope to make the show an annual event with the goals of sponsoring local young people to attend Christian Youth Camps and perhaps to bring a youth retreat in Gadsden.
Tickets are available at Kerry Wilson Insurance and cost $15 in advance; $20 at the gate.
The concert is at Mort Glosser Amphitheatre in Gadsden. Gates will open at 6 p.m.
Headliner Rhett Walker has been nominated for three Dove awards and had a had a hit last year with the song “When Mercy Found Me.”
Rush of Fools is a Birmingham-based band, and All Things New is from Orlando, Fla.
More Than This is a local band and includes past and present Gadsden State Community College students.