UPDATE: 10.1.2008, 6:15 p.m. Good news…

UPDATE: 10.1.2008, 4 p.m., We’ve received word that things may be getting worked out. We’d still encourage anyone who can to attend Saturday’s performance. We also thank those of you that did reach out.

Late last night, we received an email from organizers of this weekend’s Barrage concert at the BJCC. The event had been created to serve as a benefit for Scrollworks, a non-profit organized last year with a mission “to offer quality music education for children in the local community regardless of their ability to pay, with a focus on minorities and the under-served areas of Greater Birmingham.” The simple version is, they need our support now more than ever.

They informed us that they’d recently received the estimated bill for miscellaneous fees associated with the use of the concert hall after repeated requests for that information in order to determine how to budget for the event. They’ve now determined that even if the hall sells out at adult ticket prices, the $6,000 bill, covering security costs, first aid needs, and ushers, necessary for Saturday’s concert, which will include performances by young string players coming from Selma and Gadsden, will make it impossible to raise funds as a result of the event – it would in fact place the organization in dire straits.

They’ve sent messages to the BJCC’s Jack Fields, Birmingham City Councilor Roderick Royal and Mayor Langford’s chief of staff Deborah Vance (or at least the mayor’s office) to see if something could be done to help, especially considering the fact that the performance and educational session is scheduled for the end of the week.

Now I’m not necessarily sure of what I can ask our readership can do. There are two things though – well three. We could encourage all of you to attend the concert, beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, no matter where it ends up being held.

We could ask that you contact Scrollworks and see how you’d be able to help, either by offering to usher, providing additional funds to help offset the costs of the event or by seeing what else they need.

We could also ask that you add your voices to theirs in seeing if something could be done to reduce the cost to Scrollworks.

It is a lot to ask, especially considering the roller coaster that our national economy has been on in recent weeks. But the benefit to the children that will take part in this educational experience and who will have a chance to perform and showcase their musical talent is worth making a plea through our virtual hub for the city and to see what can happen.