Troccoli supports the Alpha Center

By KENNY KEANE, Globe staff reporter
Posted March 13, 2003

Grammy-nominated artist Kathy Troccoli, who is a strong supporter of crisis pregnancy centers, performed at the 16th annual Alpha Center benefit held March 10 at the Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City.

Prior to the concert, Deb Sypersma, executive director of the Alpha Center, introduced Troccoli at a press conference, and the singer said she was really glad to be there.

"I have been pretty much picking and choosing events I want to do throughout the year as far as helping crisis pregnancy centers," Troccoli said. "I wish I could do every single one of them, which I can't, but I'm glad to be here tonight.

"My heart is very much for the unborn and for women who are struggling with that decision. I very much respect and support people who are in the trenches like Deb Sypersma and her center, who are helping these women. It should be a wonderful night, and I hope they raise a lot of money."

Sypersma said the Alpha Center has one main fundraiser every year, and this concert was it.

"Based on what people gave that night, plus the ticket sales, plus people that pledge throughout the year, that's basically our operating expenses for the next year," she said. "There was a nice turnout. I'm guessing 1,500 to 1,600 people were in attendance. I think based on the crowd response people just thoroughly enjoyed themselves and were very blessed by the evening."

The Alpha Center pursued the artist to perform at the benefit, but according to Sypersma, Troccoli was willing to come because she does have a heart for pregnancy care centers and for the unborn.

"She definitely has very strong feelings about abortion and just about the sanctity of human life," Sypersma said. "I think she is a very dynamic person, a very God-loving person, has a very strong faith and is able to articulate it in a way that people understand regardless of what point they are at in their spiritual lives. I think she makes things very clear, and people can very much identify with her."

Troccoli said she doesn't consider herself to be an anti-abortion crusader but rather an advocate for life.

"I try to have opinions that I believe would delight the heart of God," she said. "I believe that God is about life, and that's why I'm for life."

Simply speaking about life, Troccoli said she thinks that the daily communication people have with one another could either breed life or death into the heart of another person.

"That's why I want to use my music to breed life and not death," she said. "Especially in the arts, we can cause people to be encouraged, or we can cause them to feel oppressed.

"So I hope and pray, and I've been doing this for 20 years, that my music would be a vessel of life and light to people so they can gain encouragement, comfort and healing in this life, which is very hard. We all need hope."

Going into the concert, Troccoli said she hopes to fill the hearts of those in the audience.

"We're living in some strange times as far as not knowing what's going to happen - even thinking about war right now and unemployment is up," she said. "There are just so many stresses. I hope that people would be able to leave with a little bit more hope in their life that no matter what the circumstances, God is in control, and he could get them through that circumstance."