During the Taste of Talent semi-finals and finals this weekend, Ronnie Beith, Franklin’s events and marketing coordinator and Taste of Talent founder who passed away in April, received multiple tributes.
On Saturday evening, a new award was given out at the Taste of Talent semifinals, the Ronnie Beith “Be A Helper” award, which was awarded to Taste of Talent semifinalist and several-year returning contestant Tim Craver.
Franklin Fine Arts Council president Pat Dolecki said that the award, chosen by vote among the semifinalists, is given to whoever they think is the most supportive and encouraging of the contestants.
“It’s a beautiful idea,” Craver told the newspaper on Sunday. “And I’m glad I could be that for these guys.”
The group will return for an encore performance at the tribute concert to Ronnie Beith on August 31, Dahl said.
Taste of Talent finalist Alexis Jack’s first song on Sunday appropriately contained the lyrics “hold tight to your umbrella,” as several umbrellas were seen around the park at the start of the competition after a brief sprinkling of rain threatened to dampen the evening’s proceedings, continuing this summer’s trend of difficult weather.
However, by the competition’s start at 4 p.m., the rain had stopped, and it stayed gone throughout the concert, only returning when chairs were folded up and people were leaving the park.
“We all know Ronnie stopped the rain,” Moorehead said. “It was her mustard-seed faith.”
