A Longstanding Annual Holiday Tradition
Save the dates: December 18-21, 2025 at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady
For over than four decades, the CBS 6 Melodies of Christmas show has spread holiday cheer while providing vital support the Melodies Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders. The event continues to be a special holiday tradition, thanks to a longstanding partnership between CBS 6 News, Freihofer Baking Company, and Price Chopper/Market 32.
With four performances at Proctors Theatre each year, the holiday extravaganza features songs of the season by the Empire State Youth Orchestra and Melodies of Christmas Chorale, band performances, dancers, and other guest appearances. The show closes with the song "Silent Night" sung by Melodies Center patients - a symbol of hope and courage.
Thank you to our Supporters!
PARTNERS IN CARE (as of 12.10. 2025)
Frances Spreer Albert
Beverly Swimm and Raimundo Archibold
Donna M. Banewicz
Jim and Rose Barba
Nancy Bambara and David R. Bauer
Sharon Bestle, MSN, RN, and Jak Bestle
Sona K. Bhullar, MD, and Mandeep Sidhu, MD
Maria Boulos, MD ’94, and Alan S. Boulos, MD ’94, MHCDS
Shelly A. Breton
Barbara and Edward Brown
Margo and Bryant Cassella
Ji-Yung Oh and Andrew Chang, MD
Carla Rasmussen Chiaro
Trudy E. and Robert T. Cushing
Charles M. Day
Jamie and John DePaola
Leslie and Andrew Deroo, MD
Blair and Matthew DiCaprio, MD
Franca M. DiCrescenzo and Anthony M. Durante
Carole and R. Wayne Diesel
Angela and Bill Duax
Sharon and Bill Duker
Daniel J. Fitzpatrick, Jr.
D.J. Fitzpatrick
Erin C. Fitzpatrick
Meaghan M. Fitzpatrick
Shannon K. Fitzpatrick
Jennifer F. Hendricks-Fogg and Kevin Fogg
Nikki and Noel Hogan
Martha and Michael Iacolucci
Erin and Matthew Jones
Kathlene Thiel and J. Eric King
Jocelyn and Robert Kivort
Alison and Todd Kletter
Theresa and Kristopher Kusche
Diane and Guy Maddalone
Carleen and Chris Madden
Joan and Steven Martin
Murray C. and Mallory Massry
Norman and Micki Massry
Julie Massry Knox and James Knox
Laurie Massry and Kenneth Brown
Debra and John Mastriani
Karen McKenna, RN, and Dennis P. McKenna, MD ’92
Lisa and John McGrath
Dolores and Briggs Montero
Lisa and Robert Moser
Amy L. Harbeck, CRNA, MS ’09, DPS ’19, and Jason Mouzakes, MD ’95
Margaret MulCahy
Michele and Ronald Musto, MD, MPH
Carrie and John O’Connor
Barbara E. Ostrov, MD, and Joel Buckley
Kathleen and Tim Owens
Karyn and Daniel Pauzé, MD ’04
Linda and Denis Pauzé, MD
Daniel T. Pickett, III
Sara and John Regan, Esq.
Alessandro Renzi
Veronica and Sean P. Roddy, MD
Cheri and Richard Rosen
Charlotte and Jeffrey Sperber
Diane and Jeff Stone
Janice and Terry White
Lou-Ann and Vincent P. Verdile, MD ’84
Lianne and Edward Wladis, MD
Melody Makers (as of 12.10.25)
The Amado Family
Sons of the American Legion #1489 Wynantskill, NY
Susan Andi
The Auringer Family
Donna M. Banewicz
Joanne and Thomas Baumann
Karen and Gary Becker for Sydney
Jessica Berman, MD, and Art Harvey
The Cammarata Family
The Chester Family
The Churchill Family
Rachel and Brett Clatworthy
Ed Cloke
Marcia L. Cole
Judy and Ed Creede
Nancy and Ronald D'Alessandro
Erin Deverdis, MD, and Brad Jacobs, MD
The Dickie Family
Mahassti and Gary Donadio - Power Pallet and Recycling
Carol and Thomas Eckert
Melissa Ehlers, MD, and Patrick Doyle
Carl Erikson
The Escobedo Family
Emily Etzkorn, MD, and Jerry Lamori
Senator Patricia A. Fahy
Lori and Joseph Farnham
Carol and John Ferlazzo
Brenda Ferriero
John J. Folk, MD
The Gannon Family
Jessica and Jason George
Gail and R. Michael St. Germain
Lisa and John Grady
The Grogans
Janice and Michael Gulli
The Hall Family
Dee Steeley and Jack Halligan
Pauline and Henry Hamelin
Karen L. Hazzard
Arlene and Ronald Hogan
Kelly and Kevin Hogan
The Holtz Family
Cindy and Tom Jenkins
Amy and Andy Jupin
Jennifer Kobylar
Cheryl and Alan Latham
Leslie and Peter Laurenzo
Lori and Peter Lauricella
Jane and Mark Levine
Judy and Ed Lowe
Marjorie and Donald MacElroy
Lorraine and John Malan
The Nicholas T. Mancinelli Family Trust
Linda and Alfred Mayou
Joanne Criscione McTague
Ba Micare
Eileen and Joe Micheli
Hedy Migden, MD
William W. Moore
The Phil Mossman Family
Joyce and Frank Nanci
Patricia and Dean Ostrander
Catherine Pallozzi and Bonnie Brautigam
Kathie and Norman Panting
The Penn Family
Patricia and Richard Pezzano
Steven Pierson
Jenny and Jim Quirk
Bill Rech
Teresa Ribadeneyra, PA-C, and Joseph P. Lalka, MD
Jess and Alex Riccio
The Rinaldi Family
Desireé and James Rossi
Williedale Salise
Regina and Rick Saulsbery
Schmee and Ishi Savignano
Marty Schade
Happy and Harvey Scherer, MD
Barbara Shell and Family
The Shumpert-Padilla de Jesus Family
Cheryl and Kevin Smith
Barbara Z. Smith
The Sprite Club Inc.
Alexandra Rehfuss, MD, and Michael Stanley
Ilene and Chip Stein
Anne Tassinari, RN, and Robin Tassinari, MD
Sue and Vince Titolo
Congressman Paul D. Tonko
Barb Tozzi
Marianna Spanaki-Varelas, MD, and Panayiotis Varelas, MD
Danielle Wales, MD, and William Wales, MD
The Weiss Family
The Family of the late George W. Yund
Sheri and Jim Zappone
Barbara A. Zell
John D. Zimmerman
The History of Melodies of Christmas
In 1980, the family of a young named Melissa received the news that Melissa had cancer, a growth around her aortic artery.
Melissa’s grandfather, then WRGB General Manager Jim Delmonico, wanted to help other Capital Region families affected by pediatric cancer, and the child cancer program at Albany Medical Center needed help to expand. The program’s expansion would allow Capital Region families to stay close to home while their child received treatment.
Melissa served as the inspiration for Melodies of Christmas, and what started with one well-attended show, grew to four performances each year. Melodies of Christmas celebrated 30 years in 2009, with donations reaching $6 million. That's when the Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders at Albany Med was renamed the Melodies Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders.
Four decades later, this Capital Region holiday tradition continues to inspire. To date, the CBS6 Melodies of Christmas has raised more than $10 million to help the brave children and their families that are facing childhood cancer and blood disorders. Annually 1,300 to 1,600 children receive care at the Melodies Center, and the survival rate continues to improve.
