MOOSEHEART, Dec. 11 - Every year, Mooseheart band director Steve Schmidt looks forward to the annual holiday concert. It is, after all, the first major concert of the year and a chance for the band to strut its stuff before a large crowd at the campus' House of God.

This year, Schmidt's anticipation for the concert was greater than ever thanks to an Aug. 23 heart attack that literally brought the 49-year-old to his knees.

"It's been on my calendar since a couple of days after the heart attack - definitely," Schmidt said.

Schmidt returned to the classroom in September but only returned full-time in October. But from the first downbeat, Schmidt looked his normal energetic self, moving the band effectively through pieces as varied as Handel's "La Rejouissance" and Henry Purcell's "Trumpet Voluntary" to a medley of music from the "Lord of the Rings" movies. Inside, however there were a number of emotions flowing through the man who has been the school's band director since 1988.

"It was very emotional, especially to look out in the crowd and see so many of the people who had sent cards or called or who were in the video that (Superintendent of Education Gary Urwiler) had made. This is my second home, and all my family were here," Schmidt said.

The concert began and ended with choral music. The choir sang under the direction of Kristin Shuman to open the concert, and the choir returned at the close of the show to sing while the band played "Jingle Bells."

"I liked hearing the choir," Schmidt said. "They sang all Christmas carols. We didn't play all Christmas music. But everything they sang got it started."

Mooseheart's fall term ends on Friday, Dec. 18. Many of the children will return home to their family guardians -- though a portion of the campus population will remain at Mooseheart to open presents on Christmas Day.

"Holidays are really nice at Mooseheart," Schmidt said. "They're really important to remind us who we serve here -- the children. Sometimes their holidays aren't the same as you or I growing up. So it's nice to be a part of something that can add as much joy as we can to their lives."

Even though is only one week left before their holiday break, Mooseheart's band members are already beginning work on pieces for the spring concert, which takes place May 13.

"It's good to get one under the belt," Schmidt said. "I missed six weeks with the band. I didn't exactly know how things were going to work out. But I think they turned out really positively."

Founded in 1913, Mooseheart is supported completely through private donations - the great majority of which come from the 1.1 million men and women of the Moose fraternal organization, in more than 1,800 Lodges and 1,600 Chapters located throughout the U.S. , Canada , Great Britain and Bermuda . Moose International headquarters is located on the Mooseheart campus.

Since its founding, Mooseheart has operated a complete, accredited kindergarten-through-high-school academic program, plus art, music, vocational training and interscholastic sports. It is an extremely nurturing and student-tailored program, with an average student-teacher ratio of 12-1.

Mooseheart students who complete their studies with a 3.0 GPA or better (4.0=A) are eligible for up to five years of annually renewable scholarship funding, covering tuition, room and board in an amount comparable to that required for an in-state student at an Illinois public university.

Mooseheart is currently home to nearly 230 students, ranging in age from preschoolers to high school seniors. Applications for admission to Mooseheart are considered from any family whose children are, for whatever reason, lacking a stable home environment. Mooseheart boasts its own U.S. Post Office and a fully functioning branch of Fifth Third Bank.

In addition to Mooseheart, Moose International also supports Moosehaven, a 70-acre retirement community near Jacksonville , FL founded in 1922; and conducts more than $90 million worth of community service programs annually.

Founded in 1888, the Moose organization has long offered its members an opportunity to do good for others while celebrating life, with family, social, and sporting activities. For more information on the Moose organization, visit the websites at www.mooseintl.org, www.moosehaven.org, www.mooseintl.org, or call 630-966-2229.