ASHLAND - An early Christmas music program will be held in two area churches this weekend to raise funds for a Ringtown teen's medical expenses.
The first of the "Christmas Canticles" concerts to benefit Ashley Frederick, 18, who is dealing with a variety of medical conditions, will be held 7 p.m. Saturday in First United Methodist-Presbyterian Church, 114 N. Ninth St. Ashland. On Sunday, the concert will be held at 4 p.m. at Aurand Memorial United Methodist Church, 217 W. Main St., Ringtown.
There is no admission for the concerts, but a free will offering will be accepted, with all donations going to the Frederick family for medical and related expenses. She is the daughter of Scott and Alice Schilling Frederick.
The concerts will be performed by the Ringtown Area Community Chorus, which was formed and is directed by Ashland resident Mark Elliot O'Hearn, 18, who is a senior at Nativity BVM High School.
O'Hearn said the original idea was to perform a Christmas concert in Ringtown to raise funds for the borough food pantry, but when he learned of Frederick's additional financial needs, he decided to help her with the Ringtown concert and by adding the Ashland performance. Earlier in the year, the premiere performance of the chorus was held for Frederick at St. John Lutheran Church in Ringtown.
"After I heard that Ashley wasn't doing well, I decided to do this again for her," said O'Hearn. "At the last concert, Ringtown supported her excellently with a great turnout."
Frederick suffers from gastroparesis, intestinal dysmotility, superior mesenteric artery syndrome, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Because of the gastroparesis, Frederick's digestive system has stopped functioning and she relies on intravenous feeding for her sole nutrition. She has not had any food or drink by mouth since September 2010. She has suffered numerous complications with her treatments and has not had any improvement in her condition. It is expected that she will continue to have numerous tests, treatments and hospitalizations. Due to her illness, Frederick had to forfeit playing sports at North Schuylkill Junior-Senior High School and attending college. She was home-schooled through most of the 2010-2011 school year and graduated in June.
O'Hearn is the director of the senior choir at the Methodist-Presbyterian church in Ashland, which prompted the selection of the church to hold a second concert with the hope additional funds can be raised for Frederick.
"The church in Ashland is all decorated for Christmas, including trees and live greens above the altar," said O'Hearn. "Because it's still before Thanksgiving, we'll be taking the decorations down after the concert since there will be a Thanksgiving Eve service there."
He said Aurand Memorial will have some Christmas decorations, though not as much as in Ashland.
"The program centers around 'Lessons and Carols,' which originated in King's College in Cambridge, England," said O'Hearn. "The concert rotates between six traditional Christmas readings and six musical suites. The concert brings favored carols and new songs in a complete service for Advent and Christmas."
O'Hearn said there will be 25 chorus members performing, along with Ronald Zuby on trumpet, Betty Chappell playing the organ, and assistant director Karen Sanchez as the piano accompanist. Chappell will assistant direct one of the songs. The readings will be narrated by great-aunt Marianna O'Hearn.
At Sunday's performance, the Rev. Bonnie Yeager, pastor, will provide the welcome and invocation. A bake sale will be held after the Sunday concert.