Enterprise benefit concert to host tenor, Elder Oaks

Internationally famed Irish tenor Ronan Tynan and Elder Dallin H. Oaks, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will be featured at the annual Enterprise Mentors International Benefit Concert and Dinner Oct. 27.

Enterprise Mentors International is a humanitarian group that builds grass-roots enterprises using the principles of self-help and microcredit. The principle of "a hand up, not a hand out" transforms the donor-receiver dependency relationship into character-building, consultant-client relationships.

The organization has strong ties in the Philippines, where Elder Oaks served two years as area president for the LDS Church.

More than 150,000 people in the Philippines and five other countries have been granted otherwise unattainable loans through EMI. The average person receives a loan for $139, and EMI has given out more than 24,000 loans since its inception 16 years ago.

Tynan, who was born with a lower-limb disability that led to the amputation of both his legs, has performed at many events. He is a champion disabled athlete, winning 18 gold medals between 1981 and 1984. At 33, he earned a medical degree from Trinity College, and as a physician he specializes in orthopedic sports injuries.

Elder Oaks will speak at the event. He practiced law in Chicago, was president of Brigham Young University and served as a justice of the Utah Supreme Court until his resignation in 1984 to accept his calling to the apostleship.

Elder Oaks has also been an officer or member of the board of many business, educational and charitable organizations, as well as the author and co-author of many books and articles.

For information, visit www.enterprise-mentors.org.