A few weeks ago, I was asked to DJ a party for a few of our Wounded Warriors. Little did I know when I accepted this request that it would be the most special Christmas party I would ever attend. Not only did I meet four courageous young men who made such sacrifices in fighting for our freedom but I watched their families come together with a sense of understanding for what each goes through on a daily basis, and I watched the joy as Santa brought presents to all the little ones who are also affected by their big brothers, uncles, and cousins and the day to day struggles they endure.

All 4 of the men I met yesterday have an incredible story to tell but I felt a connection to Sgt. Shurvon Phillip because he had actually been serving with my husband Jason in 2005 when he sustained his injury. And so, I would like to share a little more of his story with you.

Shurvon joined the United States Marine Corps when he was just 17 years old in part to help pay for his community college tuition. At the age of 24, he was called up to serve with the Marines of 3/25 out of Brookpark, OH (which again, happens to be the same unit my husband Jason served with). Shurvon was only in Iraq for a couple of months when his whole life changed drastically. He was riding back to his base after a patrol when an anti-tank mine exploded under his Humvee. Every other Marine on that Humvee faced an assortment of injuries but Shurvon’s was among the most severe. Along with a broken jaw and broken arm, Shurvon suffered a traumatic brain injury as the force of the blast rattled his skull despite the helmet that was supposed to protect him.

This is Sgt. Shurvon Phillip today, more than 6 years after the incident that changed his life forever. That is his mother Gail in the picture and in my opinion that woman is just as much of a hero as her son. She has fought hard so her son could have the very best care available and she, along with a home care aid provided by the VA, is at Shurvon’s side every moment of every day to make sure he maintains the honor and dignity he so deserves.

 

 

 

 

 

Shurvon may not be able to tell you exactly what he is thinking or feeling after the traumatic brain injury left him immobile and unable to speak but he communicates with his mother through eye movements and as I spoke to Shurvon and told him I was the wife of a Marine who served with him, his mother excitedly told me, “He remembers! See those eyes! He knows him! He recognizes your husband’s name!” It was quite a special experience for me and I was honored to be able to personally thank one of our heroes for their service.

And then there was Colin Smith. Colin was also a Marine serving in Iraq when he suffered a traumatic brain injury as well. Colin is mobile except for his arm. He does have a bit of a limp but that sure didn’t slow him down any. He joined us on the dance floor for the chicken dance:

 

 

 

 

 

And he showed off his moves during the Cupid Shuffle too:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Immediately after dinner and dancing, there was a visit from a very special man in a red suit. And if you are no longer a believer in the magic of this season, then I wish you had been at this party because the faces of those 4 wounded warriors lit up when the man with a ‘bowl full of jelly’ for a belly showed up and started handing out gifts to the little ones. When the children excitedly ran to Santa Claus and he handed each and every one of them a brightly wrapped package, their joy is what brought smiles to the faces of their uncles and cousins…the wounded warriors themselves. There was a sense of hope and faith in that room yesterday…a reminder of the hope and faith those 4 wounded warriors had to hold onto every single day as they fought against all odds to regain what the war took from them.  In some cases, like Shurvon’s it took nearly everything…mobility, speech and even dignity as Shurvon must now rely on his mother for his most basic needs. But yesterday all 4 of those wounded warriors stood together with Santa, joyful of the knowledge that they were not alone, that they were in the company of other veterans who truly understood the sacrifices they had made. The camaraderie those four men and their families shared was the whole purpose of this event and it’s an event I was truly honored to attend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the way, if you would like to read more about Sgt. Shurvon Phillip, there is an excellent New York Times article that can be found at the link below:

The Sergeant Lost Within

 

I hope you are all enjoying your holiday today with the friends and family who matter most to you! I know that I am personally most thankful for my healthy children and my entire family. I’m also very thankful for the success of my DJ business which has really grown over the last several months. I’ve been blessed to have DJ’d two separate Marine Corps Balls and tonight I’ll be DJ’ing at Westfield Great Northern from Midnight to 5am for all you crazy Black Friday shoppers! Tonight I’ll be playing all of your favorite pop and country hits as well as the best Christmas tunes, particularly some of the crazy ones we used to play on the Morning Show like “Who Put the Stump” and Jeff Foxworthy’s “Redneck 12 Days of Christmas!” We’ll also be giving away $10.00 Westfield Gift Cards so make sure you come and see me.

In the meantime, I thought I’d share a few pictures from the Marine Corps Balls that I recently DJ’d! It was an honor and I had a great time!

Here’s my setup at the Akron Weapons Ball I DJ’d on the 19th:

 

 

 

 

 

It was a great crowd and they were all on the dance floor most of the evening!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first Ball I DJ’d was actually at Browns Stadium back on November 5th!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And yes, I dressed for the occasion:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really enjoyed DJ’ing these Balls and I hope they ask me to do them again next year! In the meantime I hope the rest of this year is filled with holiday blessings for all of you! Thank you for the support these past 9 months as I kicked off my little DJ business and Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Well, its been a while since I posted any updates here on the Star Spangled website but its also been a busy few weeks! My basement flooded in mid to late July causing a whole host of problems, then we went on a little family vacation and last weekend I DJ’d a wedding for the beautiful Mrs. Chad Lewis (nee Olien). I think my favorite part of her wedding was the cake! Check it out:

 

Another favorite part of the wedding was the first dance with the whole family! Brenda has a 6-year old son named John and she danced with him for a special Mother/Son dance and then called her new husband (and stepfather) in to join them!

 

 

 

 

The song we played for that dance was “He Didn’t Have to Be” by Brad Paisley and I won’t lie, it brought tears to my eyes! Finally, it was time for the whole bridal party to dance and they made a circle around the Bride and Groom:

 

 

 

The wedding went smoothly and the Bride and Groom seem happy! Looking forward to DJ’ing my next wedding although at this point, that won’t be until next May! If you’re still looking for a DJ for YOUR wedding, please e-mail me for a price quote at laurie@lauriehovater.com

I’m really late in posting this but its been a busy week and a half! Way back on Saturday, July 9th we had another fun night of Karaoke at Clough’s Friendly Inn and as usual, I took lots of video and pictures! Here are a few of the singers who graced us with their wonderful voices!

 

 

 

 

 

I knew April Mae wouldn’t let me down! She and Sami came out last time and had a blast once again! Here they are singing “Sin Wagon” together!

Sami and April

 

And here’s Chris! He’s the owner’s son and you can tell he knows how to have a great time!

 

 

 

 

Here’s his rendition of something with a little “spanish” flair!

Chris

 

Beth may have been one of our strongest singers but she’s in a group called “Maltshop Memories” so I guess she better be good! LOL!

 

Then there was Lori! She and her husband Dwayne brought their friend Stacy who was celebrating a birthday!

 

 

 

 

Here’s Dwayne‘s rendition of “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off.” Just click on his name to see his video!

 

Michelle gave Beth a run for her money! She was the other one who had a terrific voice!

 

 

 

Somehow I missed getting video of Michelle but trust me, she was REALLY good!

 

And then there was Linda! She was there last time too!

 

Overall, it was a fun night and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves! I’m hoping we can do it again on August 13th so watch my calendar for updates!

Hi everyone! I know its been a while since I updated this blog but the 4th of July weekend is always busy for us and now that I’m constantly DJ’ing it was busier than ever and so is THIS weekend! I have 5 gigs in 3 days. That’s a good thing so I’m not complaining but I haven’t quite worked out when I’ll sleep yet. LOL!

Anyway, all my new lighting is in and I’ve been meaning to set it all up and take pictures but of course I haven’t gotten around to it yet. I did snap a few shots at some of my gigs this past weekend though and while they don’t really do my new lighting any justice, at least you’ll get a vague idea of how cool it is, especially in this picture which was taken at my parents’ house Friday night when I DJ’d our annual Fireworks party!

 

 

 

 

 

That’s my sister with a jello shot in the foreground. I think she was mesmerized by my lighting. Anyway this was my set-up on the deck at my folks’ house that same evening:

 

 

 

I tried to keep it simple since there’s a lot of people coming and going on that deck all evening but I couldn’t resist putting up at least a little bit of my new lighting!

 

And then on Sunday, I DJ’d a gig at Grantwood Golf Course in Solon. It was an afternoon event so it was too bright to get a good feel for my lights but I finally got to use my Gobo which projects images on a wall or dance floor. This was sort of a wedding/baby celebration so I went with a pink “Congratulations” which you can faintly see on the wall above the bar:

 

 

 

 

 

Again, that will look MUCH cooler when its darker in the venue. There are seven other images I can project with my Gobo and I can also customize images specifically for your event. Its a pretty cool light!

 

 

 

The other two lights I used last weekend were my Moonflower light and the Cosmos and you can sort of see them both in this picture but again it was just too bright in the hall:

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally, this picture was taken by one of the guests. I was pretty busy taking requests from these two for most of the afternoon!

 

 

 

 

Anyway, tonight I’ll be at the Car Show at Southwest from 6 to 9pm and then I’ll be at Panini’s in West Park from 10-1 a.m. so come and see me there! Tomorrow night I’m back at Clough’s Friendly Inn on Turney Road in Garfield Heights for more Karaoke and on Sunday its back to the Car Show at Southwest from 5 to 8! Plenty of opportunities to come out and hear Star Spangled Entertainment in action and don’t forget you can always e-mail me at laurie@lauriehovater.com for a free price quote!

Busy, busy weekend. Friday night was both the Cruise In at Southwest Cafe in Parma as well as the first Country Night at Panini’s in West Park. Panini’s is going to have Country Night EVERY Friday and I’ll be your DJ for most of them. When I’m not there, you’ll have a live band so spread the word and make sure you checkout Panini’s in West Park one Friday night!

 

On Saturday, I DJ’d a Graduation Party in Aurora Shores. First of all, GORGEOUS place! The party was at the Marina and my view was spectacular! You can see it a little bit through the window behind me in these pictures!

 

 

 

 

As you can see, I do have some lighting already but this weekend, I purchased a few more things to add to my set-up! I can now offer projection of custom images thanks to my brand new Gobo Zoom LED. Check out this video to see exactly what you can have at your next party:

 

Custom Images Projected by Gobo Zoom

 

I also purchased a fog machine, a mirror ball and another very cool lighting effect as well as a light stand so I can lift everything off the floor. Once I get all my new gear, I’ll set it all up and take pictures so you can see EVERYTHING that Star Spangled Entertainment has to offer.

When you book a party with me, you’re going to have a spectacular event so don’t hesitate to send me an e-mail at laurie@lauriehovater.com for a free price quote!

 

WOW! Karaoke at Clough’s Friendly Inn was a HUGE success! And I’ve never heard so many talented singers in one place before. There really were a lot of great voices and everyone was interested in having a good time which makes my job easy! A great big THANK YOU to the Clough family (Bob and Lisa are the owners), their daughter Courtney Clough hired me for this gig and son, Chris Clough helped me set up! Courtney and Chris kicked things off with the singing too!

 

 

 

 

Sami and April- Mae sounded pretty good too and they sang a LOT of songs last night! So did Big Jim!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then there was Roger and Linda! Roger liked Jimmy Buffett and Linda sang some pretty spiritual songs!

 

 

 

 

 

Chet and Beth sang a duet together and they were both pretty good! And Rick C. did a bang-up job with Elvis and got the Clough’s to smooch!

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you want to hear a little sampling of what was sung last night, click on this link:

Karaoke at Clough’s Friendly Inn

 

 

The entire night was such a success that we’ll be doing it again! Mark your calendar and join us on Saturday, July 9th for more Karaoke at Clough’s Friendly Inn

Hi Everyone! I must admit that when I started this DJ business, I never imagined it would be this successful. Jason mentioned something today about not being able to plan much on the weekends because I’m always working and he’s right. I feel bad about that but hopefully everything I do now will benefit the family in the long run. At this point, I still have equipment to pay off so I want as much business as I can get. Make sure you pass along my info if you know of anyone in need of a DJ!

 

Anyway, this past Sunday was the BEST Car Show we’ve had yet. The whole lot was filled with cars and there were tons of people browsing them in the parking lot. I hope Fridays eventually get that busy too! I took some more pictures of some beautiful classics so check them out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obviously this is only a small sampling of the gorgeous vehicles that turn up at Southwest Cafe on Friday and Sunday nights! I’ll try to keep showcasing different cars each week!

 

Anyway, this Friday I will NOT be at Southwest because I have a private party instead. My good friend and fellow Trinity High School graduate Rich Smith will be my back-up DJ and he’ll spin all your favorite oldies instead of me!

 

On Saturday, I’ll be Clough’s Friendly Inn on Turney Road in Garfield Heights from 8 to midnight so I really hope you’ll come on out for a fun night of Karaoke.  It will be my first time there so we need a great crowd so they’ll consider having me back!

 

 

 

And starting on Friday, June 17th, we’ll be doing a Country Night at Panini’s at Kamm’s Corner in West Park starting at 10pm. I will have more details soon but mark June 17th on your calendar and keep in mind that Friday is Country Night at Panini’s in West Park!

Memorial Day weekend sure was busy for me and Star Spangled Entertainment! I had two events back to back on Sunday and one of them was a fundraiser to raise money in the fight against childhood cancer. A local mom organized the fundraiser to pay tribute to her daughter’s daddy. He passed away from leukemia two years ago before their daughter was even born. So, she volunteered to shave her head and found people to sponsor her. She also got her dad and a few friends involved. Here are some pictures of BEFORE and AFTER:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crazy right? Actually, it was so inspiring, I was tempted to shave my own head but I’m too big of a chicken. Instead I offered up $20 bucks for the last girl on the left to shave hers and as you can see, she did!

 

Anyway, after that fundraiser, I went straight to the Car Show at Southwest Cafe and on Monday, it was a cook-out and then we took the kids fishing too! Brayden caught a few tiny fish but Carlie reeled in the biggest one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And now the weekend is almost upon us again! And it’ll be another busy one! Friday night is the Car Show at Southwest Cafe (6030 Broadview Road in Parma). Saturday is a Father/Daughter Dance for a group of Girl Scouts and Sunday is the Car Show again! Plus, Brayden has a gymnastics exhibition on Sunday and rehearsal is Saturday morning and I’m in the routine with him. Busy, Busy, Busy! Wish me luck!

Well, this past Friday sure was busy. I DJ’d the Car Show at Southwest from 6 to 9 on Friday night and then I headed over to Playmakers to host Karaoke the rest of the evening. Two gigs back to back and then another Car Show on Sunday too. Lots of pictures from both and those car owners are very proud of their vehicles so I promised to showcase a few of them here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful vehicles right? And I can name most of these but I have a LOT to learn when it comes to classic cars. I had no clue what the Toronado was and I actually got a Mustang mixed up with a Corvette. DUH! And apparently Cruise In DJ’s gotta know their stuff so I’m gonna start to study.

Anyway, I also have a few photos from Playmaker’s Friday night. Lori and Dwayne are becoming regulars!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then there were Tina and Jason:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were a few other singers too like Melody and Neal but I didn’t take pictures of everyone. And I didn’t take video this time either. However, I DID sing more songs myself this time. I’ve learned that sometimes you have to “break the ice” and I learned that sometimes I’ll probably have to sing in order to keep others singing. Now I just have to find a few more songs that I’m comfortable doing. NOT GOOD AT, just comfortable. LOL!

Anyway, I will be at Southwest for the Car Show again this Friday and Sunday (weather permitting) so come on out to see me! And I hope you have a very happy Memorial Day weekend!