Hopp & Friends give thanks with meal, music for those in need

Matt Bower
Posted 11/20/14

Thanksgiving is nearly upon us. It’s a time of year to gather and celebrate with friends and family and to be thankful for what we have. However, not everyone is fortunate enough …

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Hopp & Friends give thanks with meal, music for those in need

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Thanksgiving is nearly upon us. It’s a time of year to gather and celebrate with friends and family and to be thankful for what we have. However, not everyone is fortunate enough to share in that joy.

That’s why local musician and performer Gary Hopp has put together Giving Thanks, an extraordinary event at Finn’s Harborside this weekend for those in need that will feature a Thanksgiving meal, entertainment by many local musicians and artists, and a laminated photo for their memories.

“I did this 25 years ago and off and on throughout the years; it’s my way of giving thanks around the holiday,” Hopp said. “I’m fortunate to be able to share the holiday with friends and family, but a lot of people don’t have that same opportunity.”

Hopp said when his family gets together around Thanksgiving; they play music at night.

“It made it more special,” he said. “It’s a beautiful day I look forward to all year.”

Hopp is bringing that same sense of family and celebration to Giving Thanks, in which he expects to feed more than 300 people for free across three entertainment shows all on the same day, Saturday, Nov. 22.

The first two shows will be held from 12 to 2:30 p.m. and 3 to 5:30 p.m., respectively, and will include a seat at a table for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, entertainment by Hopp and Friends with a presentation of WE…Share the Music…Share the Love…for Peace, and a photo in the “Say Cheese” photo booth, which is provided by Entertainment Under the Stars. Tickets for these shows were bought with donations from the local community and have already been given out by Hopp when visiting outreach programs to feed people, but if you would like to sit at the bar and order from the menu during either of these shows, a $5 donation is asked.

The third show will be held from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. and will be much more than the first two shows. In addition to presenting WE…Share the Music…Share the Love…for Peace, Hopp and Friends will also present A Rock and Roll Show of Music, Art and Dance featuring many special guests and performances, including Claudia DeCesare Shares…A Community Art Project, in which a piece of furniture will be painted. For the third show, any monetary donation will be appreciated.

“Any monetary donation that people feel comfortable giving will be accepted and appreciated for the night time show,” Hopp said.

Hopp said donations will go to local charitable organizations that help others, such as The End Hunger Foundation, Rhode Island Community Food Bank, 1 of 52 Hunger Network, and local food kitchens. Donations are tax deductible and checks should be made out to the nonprofit: We…R Giving.

Hopp said the nighttime show, which he describes as “choreographed spontaneity,” will feature 20 musicians participating in a series of jam sessions, offering various textures and different kinds of music, such as drum circles.

“I like my shows to be interactive. I involve the audience because I want people to have a good time,” Hopp said. “I want it to be a big family. We’re not only feeding their appetites, but also their eyes, ears, hearts, minds and sense of community.”

Hopp said he’s taken the lyrics to “Imagine,” “We Are the World,” and “Give Peace a Chance” and mixed them up, which will be passed out to everyone in attendance for a sing-along.

“We’ll circle [together] under a white flag and have a moment of sound, as opposed to a moment of silence. If we scream for a minute, hopefully they hear us wherever it’s needed,” he said. “Magic happens right in that moment, whether people are laughing or crying, and I’m proud of that.”

Hopp said it’s important to be a part of someone’s moment.

“It can give you hope when you don’t have it or a positive outlook when you’re having a bad day,” he said. “Giving is a two-way street. The rewards are so deep in your heart to be able to make a difference for someone.”

Hopp said it’s all about balancing energies.

“As a massage therapist working with cancer survivors, I know how to balance energies,” he said. “There’s a lot of bad energy in the world, killing energy. We want to balance the killing energy with a feeling of passion, power and hope.”

Hopp said he wants to create a feeling of camaraderie among the audience.

“When camaraderie extends beyond the family, it’s like ripples in a pond going out,” he said.

Hopp said he’s never performed three shows in one day before but he’s ready for the challenge.

“It’s an ambitious undertaking. A lot of sleepless nights, no one can talk to me,” he said with a laugh. “There’s a lot of effort from many hands and behind the scenes people, artists, dancers, and musicians.”

Hopp said he has a lot of passion for wanting to make a difference in our world and prefers to be there in that moment versus making an anonymous donation to help out a cause.

“I have the energy, time, passion, commitment and desire to do something,” he said. “I always try to do something for someone in need or be part of a cause that’s greater than us.”

When asked why he decided to schedule all three shows on the same day, Hopp said it was the most efficient way to reach the largest amount of people in the biggest way that he could.

“We’re trying to reach as many people as we can with the same event and because it’s a busy time of year for people, we don’t want to intrude on their schedule too much,” he said. “This way, they only have to set aside one day. We want to make the biggest impact for the most amount of people and have the most amount of fun.”

In addition to thanking Finn’s Harborside for donating the space and hosting the event, Hopp also thanked Hope Media LLC and Music Town, two organizations that are “trying to raise the consciousness of Rhode Island.” Hopp especially thanked Aaron James of Small Business Deacon, whose contribution to Giving Thanks was to design and build a brand new website at hoppandfriends.com.

Hopp said he’s already planning a Christmas show at Finn’s Harborside for Dec. 13.

Giving Thanks will be held at Finn’s Harborside, 38 Water St., East Greenwich, on Saturday, Nov. 22.

For more information on donations, tickets or other, call Finn’s Harborside at 884-6363 or Gary Hopp at 742-7737, or visit hoppandfriends.com.

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