The Tellico Village Singers and Tellico Voices will present their annual Fourth of July patriotic concerts again this year.

The performances will be at 2:30 p.m. July 2 and 7 p.m. July 3 at the Community Church at Tellico Village. Attendees are asked to provide a donation at the event. Contributions of individuals and groups within the community are welcome, appreciated and honored, according to organizers.

Money raised will be used to benefit Smoky Mountain Service Dogs, which has a mission of enhancing the physical and psychological quality of life of wounded veterans by providing custom-trained, mobility-assistance service dogs at no cost.


“SMSD primarily serves military veterans with service-connected physical disabilities,” Mike Kitchens, volunteer chair, said.

Based on the number of service dogs in training, the organization also assists first responders with service-connected physical disabilities. About 190 volunteers serve in various capacities.

Roughly two dozen dogs are currently in training. Since its founding in 2012, SMSD has provided 58 trained service dogs accredited by Assistance Dogs International, the leading organization certifying service dog training, Kitchens said.

“We believe that through appropriate utilization of a public access, tested and approved, highly trained service dog, individuals with physical and or psychological disabilities can often become increasingly self-sufficient and independent,” he said.

A large percentage of disabled individuals can experience a higher level of societal and community involvement and acceptance through effective use of a service dog, he said.

SMSD relies on the generosity of the community to provide such support, Kitchens said. Dogs receive 1,500-1,800 hours of training with $12,000-$18,000 in veterinarian bills and $8,000-$10,000 in food each.

The organization follows specific training procedures and policies to ensure the most effective and beneficial results, he said.

“We believe that positive reinforcement is the best form of service dog training, and we shall remain committed to training our service dogs in a way that encourages trust on all levels,” Kitchens said.

Guests at the concert will learn more about SMSD, including a video introduction on the big screens before each performance. The goal will be to present a small portion of the ways service dogs assist wounded veterans, he said.

“We hope that our audiences will open their hearts and wallets to help support this wonderful local organization,” Dennis Loy, director of the performances, said.

Last year’s concerts benefitted the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, raising more than $12,000 in donations, Loy said.

“We are very proud and honored to offer these free performances as a ‘thank you’ to the Village and surrounding areas for all their support since the choirs’ 2017 inceptions,” he said.

The concert will be a little over an hour with no intermission. The repertoire will include some old favorites and new arrangements for the audience to enjoy, he said.

“Once again, the choirs are proud to have Terry Weber, artistic director of the Word Players Group of Knoxville, present his wonderful theatrical contribution to our country,” Loy said. “Last year his powerful presentation, ‘Old Glory,’ resulted in an immediate standing ovation.”

Free tickets will be distributed 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday starting the week of June 5 at the drive-through behind the Welcome Center until all tickets are distributed.

If this year’s distribution is anything like last year, tickets will go fast.

“We anticipate that both concerts will be completely full,” Loy said.