The Garden of Hope and Courage

by Shalyn Ormsby

Music lovers will gather on April 3 for the 2016 Naples Music Festival presented by BMO Private Bank to celebrate The Garden of Hope and Courage’s tenth anniversary.

This community favorite will bring great musical talent to the Naples Botanical Garden and will feature a VIP experience with a one-of-a-kind menu designed by Richard D’Amico, honorary chairman of The Garden of Hope and Courage, and the Lurcat Catering team.

The evening will begin with one of the jazz world’s most acclaimed vocalists, Nicole Henry. A 2013 Soul Train Award winner for “Best Traditional Jazz Performance” with three Top 10 U.S. Billboard and HMV Japan jazz albums, Henry has received rave reviews both domestically and internationally by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Japan Times, El Pais, Jazz Times, Essence and many more.

Guests are sure to be captivated by her passionate, soulful voice and heartfelt charisma.

The sublime sound of local blues favorite Mudbone will entertain guests during a unique dining experience created especially for the 2016 Naples Music Festival. Mudbone plays an eclectic type of blues that incorporates elements of Funk, Jazz, Latin, Zydeco and Reggae. Rick Howard, the band’s frontman, is an accomplished guitarist and vocalist who has shared the stage and recorded with Keith Emerson, John Entwhistle, Chico Hamilton, and Pop and Country artists Shania Twain, Freddy Fender and Reggae legend Bob Marley to name a few. The energetic guitarist and vocalist, Mario “The Catman” Infanti, has toured with two-time Grammy award winner Chuck Mangione and played countless venues all over the country. David C. Johnson, the group’s bassist
and multi-instrumentalist, and Bill E. Peterson, the band’s drummer, round out the group with their unparalleled skill, musical versatility, and stage presence.

The main event will have attendees dancing the night away as World Classic Rockers, the ultimate classic rock band, takes the stage. WCR features an all-star lineup that includes members from original bands Boston, Journey, Steppenwolf, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Santana and will perform much loved songs like “Born to be Wild,” “Black Magic Woman,” “Rock and Roll Band” and “Anyway You Want It.” WCR promises to leave an unforgettable impression as they have done at a myriad of events around the world.

Proceeds from the evening’s event will benefit The Garden of Hope and Courage, a 2.5-acre healing garden on the downtown campus of the NCH Healthcare System. The Garden was envisioned by Jan Emfield, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1990. Jan underwent treatment typical in the ‘90s including radiation, chemotherapy, lumpectomy and mastectomy. Jan imagined The Garden of Hope and Courage while sitting in her own backyard garden in Minnesota. She would regularly meet with other cancer patients in her garden and would jot down notes as she began to picture her “Garden of Hope and Courage.” Jan lost her battle in 1994, but prior to her passing she shared her vision with her dear friend Richard D’Amico. After 14 years of planning and fundraising, D’Amico and Jan’s husband, Bob Emfield, along with Tommy Bahama cofounders, Tony Margolis and Lucio Dalla Gasperina, officially unveiled The Garden in October 2006.

The Garden of Hope and Courage blends water, plants, sculpture and the natural topography of the earth into a therapeutic retreat and offers patients a chance to reduce their negative emotions and stress. It is meant to inspire hope and courage: two necessary ingredients in the fight against cancer and all illnesses. Tickets for the 2016 Naples Music Festival presented by BMO Private Bank can be purchased at www.gardenofhopeandcourage.org or by calling 239.434.6697.

The Garden of Hope and Courage, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization, the Tax ID number is 41 1793877 and the Florida Dept. of
Agriculture & Consumer services Registration Number is CH 17098.