SAN DIEGO – The Children’s Holiday Magic Project is gearing up to spread the joy of music to children hospitalized during the holiday season. In its 11th year and with the support of donors and sponsors, the Children’s Holiday Magic Project will deliver more than 7,000 CDs to children’s hospitals internationally.
The CD includes an original holiday tale combining songs and stories by world-renowned music and voiceover talents. Selections are in several languages including English, Spanish, Italian and Cantonese.
“Brightening the season and sharing the gift of entertainment with families who are spending the holidays in children’s hospitals is part of our labor of love,” said Jeff Gelder, president and founder of Children’s Holiday Magic Project, a San Diego-based, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation.
Upcoming activities in support of Children’s Holiday Magic Project include:
• CD Launch Event and Fundraiser Dinner: live performances, dinner and silent auction Wed., Dec. 4, at Martinis Above Fourth, table and stage, 3940 Fourth Ave. in San Diego. Doors open at 5 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. Purchase tickets here.
• CD Distribution Event: volunteers will ‘play Santa’ and entertain at Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. Karl Anthony will lead the singing and CDs will be delivered to patients’ rooms.
A compilation recording, the CD is titled Holiday Magic, A Gift for Children of all Ages 2013. It includes a tale told by Jeffery the reindeer about his journey from the North Pole with Santa Claus. A host of characters join them, including Jeffery’s cousin Carlito from the San Diego Wild Animal Park, Kate, a reindeer from Milwaukee, Mrs. Claus and Master Elf Thalion, who runs Santa’s workshop.
Gelder produced the first Holiday Magic CD in 2003 as a project for a Landmark Education class that was to enhance the community and ultimately take on a life of its own. That’s exactly what happened. “We field inquiries about the CD all year and have requests from hospitals around the country,” said Gelder.
Past talent appearing on the CDs include Broadway actress and singer Ashley Fox-Linton, Hollywood voice-over talent Marc Graue, award-winning actress and singer Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura – Star Trek) and her actress sister Marian Michaels, and Sam Bass of KyXy 96.5FM and many more.
Donations are accepted throughout the year, checks can be made payable to Children’s Holiday Magic Project, and sent to P.O. Box 3386, San Diego, CA 92163-3386. PayPal donations are also accepted at www.HolidayMagicCD.org
GelderHead Audio Productions is a San Diego company that provides professional voice-over services to enhance business communications, voice or on-camera talent for commercials, narration, spokesperson and emcee services.
