For the fifth consecutive year, Erik’s Church hosted an evening of country music and community spirit to benefit the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital on Wednesday, March 4. Presented by Country 99.9 The Wolf and sponsored by Webster Tree Service, the annual concert once again packed the venue, delivering high-energy performances from opening act Chase Jobe and country music star Lauren Alaina.
 |
| Stella Axelsen, an 8-year-old from Westbrook, is the 2026 Champion patient at MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children's Hospital. A March 5 concert presented by Country 99.9 TheWolf and sponsored by Webster Tree Service featured country singers Chase Jobe and Lauren Alaina, who helped raise $22, 914 for the hospital. COURTESY PHOTO |
Jobe opened the night with a dynamic set that blended his original music with beloved classics from artists such as Waylon Jennings and Charlie Daniels. An Ohio native who relocated to Maine to pursue his music career, Jobe has become a familiar face at Erik’s Church, where he frequently performs solo acoustic sets during the popular Sunday Brunch series. His powerful vocals and engaging stage presence earned him a standing ovation.
In between performances, MHBBCH representatives took to the stage to share the story of Stella, their 2026 Champion Patient, an 8-year-old girl who has been living with cystic fibrosis since birth. Thanks to regular visits to the MHBBCH Pediatric Specialty Care cystic fibrosis clinic, along with daily breathing treatments, a nebulizer, and medications, she is thriving and able to enjoy the same activities as other children her age. Her parents say the staff has been incredible over the years, helping them navigate the journey from day one with professionalism, compassion, and unwavering support.
A live auction added to the evening’s excitement, featuring an advertising package from The Wolf, Boston Celtics game tickets, and ticket-and-hotel packages for upcoming concerts including Parker McCollum, Ella Langley and more. Bidders eagerly raised their paddles, with several items selling well above face value. In addition, many attendees contributed monetary donations ranging from $50 to $1,000, simply out of generosity and a shared desire to make a difference.
Then Lauren Alaina, the 31-year-old country music sensation from Nashville, took the stage. She treated the audience to some of her most popular hits, including “Thicc as Thieves,” “Road Less Traveled,” and “What Ifs.”
Alaina, a new mom to an almost 9-month-old daughter, shared how motherhood has deepened her connection to causes like the one she was supporting that evening. “Now that I am a mom, doing benefit shows such as this definitely hits differently. No child should have to deal with illness. It’s just not fair. To be able to support the children and families is incredibly rewarding.”
She spoke candidly about her daughter recently experiencing her first cold and how helpless it made her feel, noting that her heart goes out to parents facing ongoing medical challenges. Alaina also reflected on her own childhood, sharing that a close cousin of hers battled a brain tumor for many years, giving her firsthand insight into how deeply illness affects an entire family.
One piece of advice she offered to families was, “Despite the hardship, it’s important to try and be brave for the kids and allow others to offer support. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – that does not make you a bad parent or weak.”
At MHBBCH, the network of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals are committed to including parents and family members as part of the care team to ensure the children and families receive care that’s responsive to their unique needs. They take pride in their extensive suite of advanced specialty services and state-of-the-art technology in comfortable child-centered spaces to ensure every child receives the best possible care in a welcoming setting. MHBBCH contains 116 beds, including 31 Level III NICU Beds, 20 Level II continuing care nursery beds and 8 PICU beds, and as of last Friday 103 were full.
Meaghan McNamara, philanthropy specialist at MHBBCH, said that most of their fundraising is done a dollar at a time and that every event and fundraiser makes a difference.
Funds raised go to the areas of greatest need within MHBBCH and the hospital leadership team determines how donations are spent each year. Some of the recent examples include Pediatric critical care ambulance equipment such as upgraded stretchers and the purchase of a state-of-the art incubator (isolette) for transporting babies to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. They also recently updated the waiting room at the surgery center with more kid-friendly equipment and comfort supplies for patients with Autism to ensure children feel welcome and safe in all the spaces where they receive care.
McNamara also added that they have seen an increase in the number of patients with eating disorders. “The support from the community has allowed us to expand services and bring onboard a dietician who can see patients on an outpatient basis. Rather than waiting until patients with eating disorders are hospitalized, outpatient care offers effective and earlier treatment,” she said.
The final amount raised at Erik’s Church totaled $22,912 which is about $5,000 more than last year and makes the total raised over the past five years at these events at over $140,000.
“We are so grateful to Kenny and the awesome team at Erik’s Church for being our incredibly generous hosts for this fundraising concert once again,” said McNamara. “This was the fifth annual concert we’ve held together with Erik’s Church and 99.9 The Wolf, and it’s become such a fun tradition for us and for the community!”
MHBBCH will host their largest annual fundraiser, the “Radiothon” with the partnership of The Wolf and Frank FM radio March 20-21, 2026. If you would like to learn more, visit bbch.org/radio.
For more information about MCBBCH or to make a donation anytime go to their website: www.mainehealth.org/barbara-bush-childrens-hospital <
