Jaime Pescia, a 1995 Lake Orion High School graduate, will make her Palace of Auburn Hills singing debut on Aug. 25, singing the national anthem before the Detroit Shock game.
Pescia, 28, now lives in Clinton Township, and said she was asked to sing the national anthem after her friends from the March of Dimes spoke to Palace and Shock representatives.
‘The March of Dimes is one of the charities the Detroit Shock has chosen to support,? explained Pescia, a volunteer with the March of Dimes for over a year.
?(The Detroit Shock) hold events to raise money and help fund our mission,? she said. ‘The Aug. 25 game will involve a silent auction with all proceeds going towards the March of Dimes.?
Pescia said some of her friends from the March of Dimes knew that she sang, and asked the Detroit Shock if she could send in a tape.
‘The people at the March of Dimes kind of joked around with it for a while,? she said of her singing the national anthem. ‘When I found out they wanted me to, I was surprised and nervous.?
Pescia said there will be no sound check before the game, so she has been practicing singing the song a cappella in her basement.
‘I’ve been singing my whole life, in church and at weddings,? she said. ‘I have made some CDs on my own.?
Pescia, the daughter of Lee and Brenda Pescia, grew up in Lake Orion and now works for the BBDO Detroit advertising agency in Troy as an art director.
‘I’ve sang the national anthem before, in high school,? she said. ‘It’s the Shock’s last game before the playoffs, so I’m told they are expecting a big crowd.?
The Shock play against Indiana, and the game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.
Volunteers for WalkAmerica, the March of Dimes? largest yearly fundraiser, will also be in attendance and identified at halftime.
The March of Dimes mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.