Feb. 20 Gift of Home raises funds for Michele’s Hope

Feb. 20 Gift of Home raises funds for Michele’s Hope

By Sally McKinney
The Gift of Hope will be held on Monday, Feb. 20 at the Orange Beach Community Center, and will feature Swayback, providing music from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. The event will benefit Michele’s Hope, an organization that awards grants to non-profit, Christian-based organizations that provide direct services to individuals and families in need. This year the organization will award $20,000 in grants to 11 Baldwin County organizations.
Tickets are $25 each and include dinner and two adult beverages. They may be purchased at St. Thomas-by-the-Sea Catholic Church in Orange Beach, Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church and Geez Louise in Gulf Shores. Tickets may also be purchased by calling Jeanne Franz, (251) 968-5268, Linda Cate Whiten, (251) 752-5366 or Sally McKinney, (251) 961-2620.
Swayback is known in the Gulf Shores community for their work at Daybreak Respite Care, performances at the Michigan Snowbird group and Our Lady of the Gulf events. Before that, Susie and Errol Hewitt mostly played as a hobby for fun and of course, at family gatherings and at the Gulf Shores United Methodist Church. Susie sang and Errol played guitar. They invited their friend, Tommy Salter, to join them and the rest, they say, is history. Tommy came with experience as a harmony singer and also plays bass.
Susie grew up in Mobile and worked in the mortgage business. Errol is from Michigan and was a federal computer specialist. Tommy is a local boy and was a Baldwin County School Administrator. Together they produce beautiful music.
Pictured: Swayback will be the featured entertainment at the Jan. 19 benefit for Michele’s Hope. In addition $20,000 will be awarded to 11 Baldwin County Organizations that provide services to those in need. From left are Errol Hewitt, Susie Hewitt and Tom