Every year, more than 45,000 people converge for Western New York’s biggest Premier Christian Music Festival of the year, Kingdom Bound, a festival held at Darien Lake since 1987. For many years, Executive Director of Kingdom Bound Ministries, Donna Russo has been the woman behind the scenes of Kingdom Bound, leading her staff and preparing for the four-day-long festival, where people gather together to hear the Gospel through the performing arts.

Russo has been a part of the ministry since the first Kingdom Bound Festival. She was a volunteer during her first year, and she worked at the ministry part-time during her second, taking on various tasks such as coordinating vendors for the festival and performing administrative duties. In 1992, she became full-time as the office manager/administrative assistant to the president of Kingdom Bound Ministries. In 2001, she became the executive director of Kingdom Bound Ministries, and has held the position for last nine years.

Russo’s initial start into Kingdom Bound began in 1986 when she was working at a bible school in Orchard Park. At the time, there was a group of pastors that would meet monthly to discuss certain aspects of faith, that was led by the former President of Kingdom Bound Ministries, Fred Caserta.

“[Caserta] said, how can we get Christian music into the market place? The festivals were starting and there were a couple already, but there was certainly nothing in Buffalo,” remarked Russo. “Back then, Christian music was pretty limited to church music, hymns, and the contemporary music scene was just starting to inch its way into Western New York.”

Russo, as part of the staff, was asked to oversee a mailing for a music festival.

“I had already been to Creation, which is the largest Christian music festival in the United States. When I saw what they were mailing, I went back to one of the pastors and asked if we were going to have like a ’Creation’ in Buffalo. He said yes, that excited me. The whole concept of a Christian festival excited me. So, I asked how I could get involved,” said Russo.

For Russo, it was the excitement of realizing the kind of impact Christian music had and would have on people. She had already been exposed to the music herself, and she wanted to be a part of something that could do that for others.

“It is a life changing-impact, where people are hearing the Gospel and being preached to in a different way. What I saw contemporary Christian music doing is speaking to the next generation, giving them the Gospel in a really concise format, but really easy to understand, because the message is right there in the music,” said Russo.

As the executive director, Russo’s responsibilities primarily entail overseeing everything that happens on a daily basis, not only for that four-day period, but other events the ministry coordinates throughout the year, a formidable task, since it takes eight to nine months just to get the Kingdom Bound festival together.

“Obviously, I couldn’t do it without a staff. My main job is to ensure that the entire event goes off the way it is suppose to,” added Russo.
The Kingdom Bound Festival is the biggest event that the ministry produces each year.

The festival not only offers music, but also key note speakers and 18 to 20 seminars presented on various topics- some seminars are interactive and some are teaching, a talent competition, painting, drawing, and more.

“The seminars are important to people. It gives them a way to get involved, so that they cannot just come and learn, but so they can go home and make a difference,” commented Russo.

At one point, the festival drew a crowd of more than 60,000 people, but with the impact of the economy during the last two and a half years, attendance has decreased to about 45,000 to 50,000 people. Fortunately, that drop in attendance hasn’t had a major negative impact on the ministry, according to Russo.

“This year we are excited, because it seems like things have picked up and people are really excited once again,” added Russo.

Throughout her career, Russo has dealt with many obstacles, but she never let anything stop her from finding a way to overcome them. In 1992, when the festival was going on and Hurricane Andrew hit Miami, the effects of the hurricane came right up to the coast and they were pounded for four days with rain and wind. So, by the time the festival was over they had to get the RVs in the camping area out with tractors, because the water was level with the doors on the RVs and it caused the vehicles to get stuck.

“So, we had to come back from that year in 1993 and convince people to come back and camp,” said Russo.

By far the most challenging year for Russo was in 2006, which was the festival’s 20th anniversary, and when Caserta passed away.

“If you have ever met Fred, he was the heartbeat of Kingdom Bound. He was physically handicapped for many years, and part of my job responsibilities when I became executive director were to become the face, because he couldn’t go off and be with people,” remarked Russo.

Russo added that it has also been difficult to prevail over stereotypes held by some about women, but she believes the role of women is changing in the workplace. Three years ago, when the Christian Festival Association was formed, she attended a meeting and there were only two directors in the room that were women; now there is six.

“In the corporate world, I still think women have difficult time, but I think it is better and I see a change coming in the church that I haven’t seen up until a year ago. There is much more importance being placed on the role of women in the church and in Christian organizations. I do believe that there is a time now, particularly coming in the church, where God has put a call on women lives and they are answering it,” remarked Russo.

Over the years, the most rewarding aspect of Russo’s job has become when someone contacts her to share their story of how the festival changed their lives. Russo said one of the stories involved a couple who attended the festival with their family and decided that this was going to be their last family vacation, because after they were going to get a divorce.

“They went to a seminar that was taught by a lady pastor from Buffalo, and she spoke on healing the broken hearted, and afterward they asked for her to pray for them, because of where they were headed. They ended up making the decision not to divorce, and today they are still married. To me, that is life changing,” said Russo.

Kingdom Bound Festival is family event, there is something for everyone, and offers families time to spend together. It is also part of the reason why so many people attend the festival, remarked Russo.

The other reason for the high attendance is that Russo personally believes that it is God at work. People are hungry and they want peace, especially in the world we are living in today. People are always looking for peace, they are looking for answers to some of their problems whether it is relationships, finances, or emotional. If there are people out there who are going to share something with them that is considered good news they want to hear it, added Russo.

“It is tremendous festival and it is a lot of work. We have a wonderful time together. There is a lasting impact of what happens there,” remarked Russo.

Kingdom Bound Festival will be held Sunday, Aug. 1 through Wednesday, Aug. 4.

For more information on the 2010 music line up, speakers, and seminars, or to volunteer visit www.kingdombound.com or call 633-1117. Kingdom Bound focuses on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and teaches salvation through Jesus Christ. People from any religious domination are welcome to attend.

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