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MINNETONKA, Minn. (KMSP) - The rains held off and hundreds of people flocked to Lake Minnetonka Sunday to hear Tim McGraw at a venue that was a little unusual for the country music superstar.
Former Navy Seals opened the "Liberty on the Lake" show at the home of Snap Fitness founder Peter Taunton, who held the concert to benefit Folds of Honor, a charity that provides education scholarships to the children of fallen U.S. military members.
"We’re so grateful,” Folds of Honor recipient Ginger Gilbert Ravella said. Her husband was killed in Iraq, leaving her to raise their five young children on her own. "I know that he’s looking down today on an event like this and what these great Americans are doing for his kids—providing educational scholarships."
In addition to those who paid to get a front-row seat to see McGraw perform, hundreds more lined the shoreline on Palmer Pointe in their boats, taking advantage of a custom setup with waterfront speakers, put in place by Taunton to encourage boaters to attend.
As American flags waved both on stage and in the crowd, many there openly reflected on the ultimate sacrifice military members had made on their behalf.
“We are all here for the military—we believe in the military," Franz Burris said. "We’ll support them the rest of our lives like they’re supporting us right now.”