'It gives them a better Christmas'

It was a night of giving of time, money and music as Bluegrass at the Barrow-Civic Theatre hosted a large crowd for the annual fundraising concert.

"(It) gives them a better Christmas," said concert organizer and Pine Valley Boys frontman Jimmy Miller. He helped start the holiday bluegrass event about 10 years ago as a way to raise money for Sugar Valley Lodge, where he serves on the board. 

"They are always running tight for money," he said. The money gathered through donations and raffle ticket sales is used for a variety of needs, including purchasing gifts for residents. 

 The first concert was down the street a bit at the former Salvation Army building, now owned by the county. "We filled the place," Miller recalled about the first concert. 

So they relocated to the downtown theater and the event became a fundraiser for both groups. Barrow-Civic Theatre employee Gary Barton estimated Saturday's crowd at approximately 175, which was an increase over last year. 

They turned out to listen to four bluegrass bands: Middle Ground, Country Strings, Tug Creek and The Pine Valley Boys. Venango County commissioner Chip Abromovic, one of Miller's closest friends, even tried his hand at comedy opening the show and introducing show and the first band. "I need to work on my jokes," he admitted afterwards but was happy he got a couple laughs.

"Everyone of them (is) giving their time... and they come a long ways,"  Miller said of the evening's performers. "It's really a nice thing."