On Saturday evening February 3, Temple Beth David in Spring Hill presented a show by Ladies for Liberty, a trio that performs tunes from the 1940’s, ‘50’s and ‘60’s along with contemporary patriotic music.
Ladies for Liberty, LLC is comprised of ten women making up three different groups that perform all over the United States and Canada. They have even appeared in Normandy, France for D-Day anniversary celebrations.
Founded in 2009 by Wanda Martin, the purpose of the group is to honor military men and women, especially World War II veterans. They hope to inspire feelings of patriotism in their audiences.
The women wear authentic 1940’s period dress, down to the stockings with the black seam in the back and the low-heeled shoes. Some of their outfits are vintage, while others are reproductions. When you hear them sing you would swear that you were listening to the Andrews Sisters.
Ms. Martin states, “Doing the show well is one of the most gratifying things about this. We practice constantly. We take pride in our performances.”
For Nancy Cheak, who joined the group in 2013, “it’s the appreciation we see in the vets, their families and the people who love America, seeing their reactions. Being able to communicate [patriotism] to our audiences is a tremendous reward.”
Deanna Hampton, a member since 2014, adds, “It is the privilege of going on the Honor Flights to Washington D.C with our WW II vets. It’s a volunteer, give-back opportunity. To see the expressions on their faces, the light in their eyes. To see the new life come back in them as they re-live the good memories of that time.”
Last year, Ladies for Liberty performed in sixty venues and this year their plans are even more ambitious.
“We will do eighty performances, including another trip to Normandy in June. We are negotiating to do shows in China and have been invited to an Air Force base in Dubai,” Ms. Martin remarks.
The group’s performance Saturday evening consisted mainly of 1940’s songs, from the lively “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” to the heartfelt “The White Cliffs of Dover.”
However, they also sang pop, blues and rock songs from the 1950’s and 1960’s. The show ended with a medley of the armed services theme songs and the always popular “God Bless the U.S.A.”
A highlight of the evening was the trio serenading Jack Goodman, a World War II veteran who had recently celebrated his 96th birthday. Goodman served with a glider regiment in the 82nd Airborne Division.
Temple Beth David is a Reform Judaism congregation. Besides weekly Shabbat services on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, they have Hebrew language lessons, social gatherings and other activities for their members. The temple also supports service organizations, such as People Helping People, and holds events that are open to the public. Temple Beth David is located at 13158 Antelope Street in Spring Hill. For more information call 352-686-7034 or log onto http://www.tbdfl.org/
To learn more about Ladies for Liberty visit their website at – http://ladiesforliberty.com/ or like their Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/LFLUSA/