In her column in Saturday’s Spotlight section, Hormel Historic Home Executive Director Holly Johnson wrote about George Hormel’s thoughts on helping those that need it.

On Saturday, that sentiment was extended with a fundraising concert for those affected by the hurricanes that have struck the United States and the Caribbean. Seven area acts performed inside the Hormel Historic Home Saturday to raise money for the Red Cross.

It was a show extended from the original plan of Ventura Highway performing one of the home’s Peace Garden Music Series dates.

“They approached us about expanding that into the hurricane fundraiser,” Johnson said as the sounds of Kate and Kaveman drifted out of the main meeting room.

“They” included Jessie Smith, who also performed Saturday with his band, Cosmic. Smith, along with Scott Anderson, approached Johnson at the end of August about hosting the show, not long after Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Aug. 25 of this year.

“Just watching the news, I thought I could do something,” Smith said. “It seemed like they needed more and more. They are on the front lines.”

In this case, money raised Saturday went directly to the Red Cross, which has had to deal with a busy hurricane season on the southeast coast of mainland United States and the Caribbean.

Anderson was able to get the acts together in the roughly month’s time.

“Scott talked to them and pretty much got them all together,” Smith said.

For the Hormel Historic Home’s part, the idea to expand the original concert was the right decision.

“It was easy for us,” Johnson said. “Any time music is involved, it’s our mission to support it. That’s what we’re here about.”

A final total of $600 was raised for the event that saw the B&J, Hy-Vee and Hormel donate food.