On Saturday, May 8th, Georgia Industrial Children’s Home (GICH) will present their signature benefit event, Dinner in the Orchard, and this year’s festivities will be patterned after the charm of a lovely evening picnic concert at Atlanta’s Chastain Park. The Macon community is invited to attend this evening outdoor concert featuring the Macon Pops 7-piece band, to be held in the idyllic pecan orchard located on the grounds of GICH on N. Mumford Road, with live music starting at 7pm.

“This past year has been hard on everyone, from the boys we serve to our staff and our community. Now is a great time to hold an outdoor event, with room to spread out in the orchard, because people are ready for a bit of normalcy and a fun night out. What better reason to come on out for a concert than to help provide for the care of the boys who live at Georgia Industrial Children’s Home!” said Jennifer Shawa, Director of Development for GICH. Established in 1897, GICH provides care to vulnerable boys in the Macon community who have been through difficult circumstances such as trauma, neglect or abuse, and need a safe place to heal and grow.

Two ticket options are available for Dinner in the Orchard. A VIP ticket ($100) gives guests early entry at 6pm to enjoy a complimentary cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres, as well as a reserved seat at a table in the orchard to enjoy a gourmet picnic box curated by Fountain of Juice. The menu will include such favorites as the FOJ beef tenderloin slider, Charleston style pickled shrimp and a candied bacon skewer, along with other delicious sides. Wine and beer will be complimentary with VIP tickets.

General admission tickets ($50) are also available for guests who would like to bring their own lawn chair or blanket and just enjoy the Macon Pops concert starting at 7pm. For general admission ticket holders, a cash bar will be available. All tickets are limited to guests ages 21 and over.

Dinner in the Orchard is the primary fundraiser for GICH each year, and all the funds raised through this event go to help provide for the basic needs of the residents of GICH, along with customized academic support, life skills training and recreation opportunities. “It’s important that the boys who live at GICH have the same kinds of opportunities for a happy childhood that a child in a family home would have. Our community is so compassionate toward these boys who have been through so much. We want our boys to know they have a very large extended family wrapping around them and cheering them on!” said Shawa. The Dinner in the Orchard event is made possible by presenting sponsor GEICO, a longtime advocate for the boys who reside at GICH. 

At this year’s Dinner in the Orchard, guests will celebrate the mission of Georgia Industrial Children’s Home and the impact it is having on our state’s foster children. Georgia Industrial Children’s Home is located at 4690 N. Mumford Road, Macon, GA, 31210. 

For event tickets, please visit www.twincedars.org/events, or email Jennifer Shawa at [email protected]. VIP tickets are limited, but General Admission tickets will be available online or at the gate.