Karoake Fun at Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser

The 11th Annual Cystic Fibrosis benefit at raised nearly $5,000.

Event organizer Chris Swam said the event was conceived by John Hyde and Wendy Johansson, owner of Johansson's. Both have been touched by Cystic Fibrosis: Hyde's grandson has the disease and Johansson lost a sister to Cystic Fibrosis.

Swam said that he and his brother worked at Johansson's when the event was first held there 10 years ago. After last year's event John Hyde stepped down as the event organizer and Swam stepped in to take over.

Swam said there has always been a band at the event. This year he decided to try karoake instead. The fundraising part came when Swam signed people up to sing a song and the "victim" had the option to pay to get out of it or to sing the song Swam chose.

Representatives from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation presented Hyde with a plaque at the event. The plaque recognizes Hyde's commitment to the cause.

"I enjoyed putting it together," Swam said. "But most of all, seeing John's face when he received the plaque from the foundation made it all worth while."