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Popular musicians join forces to raise funds for Christmas toys in Houston
A local chiropractor works all year long, raising funds to help hundreds of children experience a brighter Christmas. He and his family continually help more kids every year. They put on quite a star-studded event to help raise funds for their important cause.
HOUSTON - A local chiropractor works all year long, raising funds to help hundreds of children experience a brighter Christmas. He started this venture almost 15 years ago, and he and his family continually help more kids every year. They put on quite a star-studded event to help raise funds for their important cause.
Dr. Shawn and Heather Taher, owners of Body Balance Chiropractic & Wellness Center, share serious Christmas cheer every year through their Body Balance Foundation. It all started as a dream to help children being treated at Texas Children's Hospital.
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"I was so grateful to have a healthy son and so when he was born, we decided we wanted to do something to give back, so the easiest thing I could do was buy some toys and drop them off at Texas Children's Hospital," Dr. Shawn Taher said.
Now the Tahers have two children, and this is part of their annual family tradition. They've gotten so many people on board, they've been able to expand the joy to children being treated at MD Anderson and Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi. They're also helping enhance lives at Kidz Harbor Foster Home.
They're able to do this because their biggest fundraiser of the year has gotten so popular, and Houstonians are more than willing to give. The Tahers have a lot of people backing them, helping them raise crucial funds... including country music singer Chris Cagle, who serves on the foundation's Board of Directors. His entire band was on board to donate a powerful performance at the golf tournament and fundraiser "Toys Fore Kids".
Cagle's on a cross-country tour but enjoyed time in Houston with his family right there to support him, while they all support a cause near and dear to their hearts at the Clubs of Houston Oaks.
"Whether it's the foster care home or Texas Children's Hospital, watching the gratitude, watching the faces light up and these children learning there are strangers out there who care about them having a good Christmas or about giving something of their life - it's kids man, and they're just so honest. They can't hide the emotion and it affects you," explains Chris. A powerful life-changing experience for both sides involved in this giving experience.
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Mr. Wonderful Band featuring Christopher Anton from the 80's band Information Society is on board and dedicated his time to entertaining a crowd at the fundraiser. The crowd happily sang along with him. Clive Farrington with the 80's band "When in Rome", also dedicating his time to perform and help them raise crucial funds. Actor Brett Cullen flew in from Los Angeles and took a break from shooting his HBO show "Winning Time" to support the Tahers’ mission.
"It's so beautiful and so touching! I'm a cry baby but it just kills me when they talk about what they're doing and how well they're doing this and how their charity has grown so much," Cullen said.
The support means everything to the Taher family.
"We work all year for this one fundraising event so that we can make it matter to so many kids that wouldn't normally have a Christmas filled with gifts. We go to the foster home and we fill their list, everything they ask for. And we make them know that they're loved and that there are people out there that care for them, we may never meet, but that they matter and they are important and we build some self-worth in them to know that there’s people out there that want them to know they are special and that they are loved," states Heather.
Now the funds have been raised, the toys have been purchased and it's time for the special deliveries to begin, as the entire group spreads lots of love and joy, hoping to bring peace to deserving children this Christmas.
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