O'Brien's Brandon Karaoke Finale Tied To Bloomingdale Library Victim Benefit (Dec. 11, 2008) - # - MyPaperNow.com

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"For about maybe eight or nine years" Kelvin "K.C." Williams, left, said he has been singing karaoke. "I just sing karaoke and I sing at home," said Williams, the winner of the O'Brien's Brandon Idol karaoke contest. The finale (after a 16-week, Thursday night contest) was held Dec. 11, 2008 at O'Brien's Irish Pub of Brandon. Organizers linked the event to a fundraiser for the Bloomingdale Regional Library attack victim.

Second place went to Tina Pregent, right, who sang Roberta Flack's, "Killing Me Softly." For his first-place showing, Williams sang, "Me and Mrs. Jones." For first place, Williams received $200 cash and a $200 gift certificate. The second-place prize was a $100 gift certificate.

Hollee Grigg, a bartender at the O'Brien's Irish Pub of Brandon, suggested that the Dec. 11, 2008 "O'Brien's Brandon Idol" karaoke finale be tied to a fundraiser to aid the Bloomingdale Regional Library attack victim. The girl, 18, then a Bloomingdale High School honors student and senior, was attacked returning books to the library after hours. Months after the April 24, 2008 attack she remains nearly blind and unable to walk or talk and in need of money for additional therapy. Her case has touched off a series of fundraisers here and throughout the country.

"This is something that happened in our community, happened close to our homes," Grigg, a student at the University of South Florida, said. "It's such a terrible thing that happened and to be able to help the girl in any way possible is our goal."

Nick Holliday, left, with Tony Martin, an owner of the O'Brien's Irish Pub of Brandon, where a 50-50 raffle was held Dec. 11, 2008 to aid in the medical builds of the Bloomingdale Regional Library attack victim. Holliday won $110 in the raffle but refused to take the money. He donated it back along with the additional $110 raised. "It's a donation," Holliday said. "I'm not going to make any profits off of this. That's just wrong."

"About seven months ago a very tragic crime happened in our community," Sean Rice, an owner of the O'Brien's Irish Pub in Brandon, Fla., told patrons at a fundraiser and karaoke event in his establishment. "This is about a victim in our community who was totally abused and that's not right." He was referring to the April 24, 2008 Bloomingdale Regional Library attack, in which a Bloomingdale High School honors student, weeks away from graduation, was savagely attacked while returning books after hours and talking to a friend on her cell phone. The victim in November returned home after months of rehabilitation with nearly blind vision and unable to walk or talk. Numerous fundraisers have been held on her behalf as the family strives for further healing and struggles with medical bills and insurance problems. "For the next five minutes, all I ask is that you reach down and throw down a few dollars," Rice said as the O'Brien's Brandon Idol karaoke finale wound down Dec. 11, 2008. The karaoke finale culminated a 16-week, Thursday night contest. O'Brien's decided to tie the event into a raffle and donation fundraiser for the Bloomingdale student.

Sean Rice, an owner of the O'Brien's Irish Pub of Brandon, lays down a last-minute $20 bill in hopes that many of his patrons would follow suit. O'Brien's employees throughout the night collected donations from the patrons on hand to hear the contenders in the O'Brien's Brandon Idol karaoke finale, which culminated a 16-week, Thursday night competition. A new competition kicks off in January.

Several patrons answered the call to lay down their cash to help the Bloomingdale Regional Library attack victim pay for her medical and rehabilitation expenses.

Jeremie Michael was one of three finalists in the O'Brien's Brandon Idol karaoke finale. He sang, "You'll Think of Me."

Heather Davis rocked the house with her rendition of Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman" at O'Brien's Irish Pub of Brandon. "That girl sounded like a professional," said audience member Jeannette Shawhan.

Hollee Grigg, holding a jug of money and raffle tickets. The sign on the jug gives the particulars of raising funds for the April 24, 2008 Bloomingdale Regional Library attack victim, "Everybody's daughter, everybody's friend."

"For about maybe eight or nine years" Kelvin "K.C." Williams, left, said he has been singing karaoke. "I just sing karaoke and I sing at home," said Williams, the winner of the O'Brien's Brandon Idol karaoke contest. The finale (after a 16-week, Thursday night contest) was held Dec. 11, 2008 at O'Brien's Irish Pub of Brandon. Organizers linked the event to a fundraiser for the Bloomingdale Regional Library attack victim.

Second place went to Tina Pregent, right, who sang Roberta Flack's, "Killing Me Softly." For his first-place showing, Williams sang, "Me and Mrs. Jones." For first place, Williams received $200 cash and a $200 gift certificate. The second-place prize was a $100 gift certificate.

Bloomingdale Regional Library attack victim. Second place went to Tina Pregent, right, who sang Roberta Flack's, "Killing Me Softly." For his first-place showing, Williams sang, "Me and Mrs. Jones." For first place, Williams received $200 cash and a $200 gift certificate. The second-place prize was a $100 gift certificate." href="javascript:openLB(435070505,'',XLarge,'',1024,681);">

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Keywords: kelvin pregent k.c. williamskelvin williamstina

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