Of the many songwriters to call Nashville home, Steff Mahan is arguably one of the most talented and most giving.
Always able to fill a room and pack the crowd in, Mahan has decided to use her considerable drawing power to help give something back to the community that supports her. Mahan has chosen the East Nashville Hope Exchange as the benefactor of her April 1st “Steff Mahan & Friends” concert to be held at St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in East Nashville.
“I don’t know of another program like ENHE,” Mahan told O&AN during a recent interview at Bongo Java East in the Five Points Area of East Nashville.
“I don’t have many talents, but it makes me feel good to know that I can use the talents that I have to help those who really need it. I know that my efforts are going to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged children in East Nashville and that makes it all worth it.”
The East Nashville Hope Exchange (ENHE) is a summer literacy program designed to provide at-risk children in East Nashville a safe place in the summer where they are given instruction in reading, social justice, cultural enrichment, and leadership. The ENHE is a ministry of St. Ann’s Episcopal Church and has been serving the children of East Nashville for five years – touching the lives of over 200 children and their families.
“The kids that are in this program will be some of the people who will be running this country when I’m old and grey,” Mahan explained, “And I will rest much easier then knowing that I helped in some small way to mold them into the leaders of tomorrow. We ant the children of today to grow up to be strong leaders of tomorrow and they can only do that if they are given the opportunity. It’s an opportunity that will never come for them if they cannot read and this program will help make sure that is one less stumbling block from their path.”
The concert will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday April 1, 2006 . Admission is $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Seating is limited. Tickets are available at St. Ann ’s Episcopal Church, 419 Woodland Street Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information please contact the church office at 254-3534.