Dueling Pianos raises the roof for Olney Community Library & Arts Center
The Olney Community Library & Art Center raised the roof and thousands of dollars toward a new roof at its Dueling Pianos fundraiser at American Legion Post 414 in Olney on Saturday night.
The event was billed as a date night-Valentine’s Day celebration, boasting a spread of elegant noshes - cheeses, crudites, and sweets – but some groups made it a girls’ night. The organizers also set up a photo booth with fun accessories such as bejeweled sunglasses and boas.
This is the second year OCLAC has brought Joel Henry, the owner of The Eighty-Eights Show, and his longtime piano-playing partner Christine Cochrane to Olney.
Last year, the concert was billed as a fundraiser for the library’s school literacy programs but the OCLAC board of directors decided to donate monies raised to the Olney Volunteer Fire Department. OVFD members were battling the Campbell Ranch fire in searing heat and wind the night of the event, alongside local, state and federal firefighters.
Mr. Henry and Ms. Cochrane engaged the crowd at the Legion with banter and contests designed to fill the tips jars on their double-keyboard piano with cash.
Mr. Henry said the show incorporates the audience and is much more than just two people playing piano requests.
The crowd shelled out thousands to be entertained by the likes of Mayor Pro Tem Chuck Stennett and County Commissioner Alan Craig spelling out “L-O-V-E” with their bodies and Mayor Rue Rogers and Library board member Luke Leonard recreating the iconic Chippendales dance (a la Chris Farley and Patrick Swayze) that won the Library’s Dancing Stars of Olney contest in 2022.
The crowd eagerly jumped up to participate in a conga line, and voted - with their pocketbooks - that the late Jimmy Buffett meant to say that “some people claim that there’s a man to blame” in “Margaritaville.” The library also auctioned a romantic trip to a luxury hotel in Fort Worth and $1,000 worth of gift cards to local merchants.
Library Director Lori Cox said the Library Board would like to thank all who participated in our event.
“We appreciate all who bought tickets, donated gift cards and monetary donations. It was a great time!” she said.