Posted: Sunday, August 2, 2009 8:15 am

The United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties will kick-off its 2009 campaign with an Aug. 14 free community concert at Murfreesboro’s Stones River Mall featuring Denny Diamond, a nationally known Neil Diamond impersonator.

The event will be held in the mall’s lifestyle center, The Shops of Stones River. A children’s play area with inflatable features and other activities will open at 5 p.m. A brief kickoff ceremony for this year’s fundraising effort will start at 6 p.m., with Diamond’s concert following shortly afterwards.

Concert-goers are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets. Space at the venue will be first-come, first-served. Concessions will be sold at the site. A small number of reserved 10-seat tables, positioned close to the stage, will be available at $150 each. Call the United Way at 615-893-7303 ext. 102 or e-mail Jenny Grubb at jenny.grubb@uwrutherford.org.

The event will signal the beginning of this year’s fundraising campaign by area volunteers, businesses, industries and families in Rutherford and Cannon counties on behalf of the local United Way. Founded locally in 1956, the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties supports 45 partner agencies.

The United Way supports health and human service programming throughout Rutherford and Cannon counties. Programs supported by United Way focus on building a better community by supporting youth and education, assisting abused women and children, responding to people in crisis, building stronger and safer neighborhoods, enabling seniors and people with disabilities, and helping working poor families.

To find out more, please call the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties office at 615-893-7303.