By Melissa Dunn
Staff Writer
Nearly 350 people enjoyed the vocal and instrumental sounds of the season at the second annual Home for the Holidays concerts featuring NRHEG graduates Gavin Berg, Adam Moen and Eva Wayne, which took place at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Richland last Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. The event, sponsored by the New Richland Area Foundation, brought in over 7,000 dollars to benefit needs in the area.
Berg, a 2002 graduate of NRHEG, is an accomplished keyboard player currently serving as organist at Westwood Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park. Moen, a 2008 graduate, has performed in numerous productions at the Ordway and Guthrie theaters and took the weekend off from his role in "Jersey Boys" at Chanhassen Dinner Theater. Wayne is a 2023 graduate and currently attends the University of St. Thomas, majoring in Business Law & Compliance.
An additional surprise to all (including the participants themselves) was the special “performance” given by mothers Julie Moen and Connie Berg. “We have to do something to top last year when our dads led the carol sing-a-long,” their sons exclaimed gleefully from the front. “So this year we thought…” and out came parade batons from their hiding place behind the communion rail to the delight of the audience. Both moms, who had been drum majorettes and expert twirlers “back in the day” choreographed a short routine during intermission (after recovering from the initial shock) which was performed to rousing applause.