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Local concert raises $11,000
Wednesday July 23 2008
By Lois Fraser, St. John’s United Church
 
Carolyn Maule, musical director of St. John’ United Church, was so moved by the plight of the people of Burma (Myanmar) and China, that she decided to put together a benefit concert to help.
She phoned her musician friends, asking that they donate their services and assembled members of Norval, St. Andrew’s, and St. John’s United church choirs. In just under two weeks, an outstanding concert, called Join Every Hand was put together and $11,000 was raised.
With matching funds from the Canadian government, the impact will be closer to $22,000.
It was an incredible evening with a variety of music, including classical selections from baritone Russell Braun and soprano Monica Whicher, flautist Pandora Bryce and pianist Carolyn Maule. Sassy folk/rock musician Katherine Wheatley got the crowd stomping and jazz vocalist Adam Broughton had the crowd singing along to Michael Jackson’s tune, Man In The Mirror.
Broughton, a hometown boy with a voice like Michael Buble, pulled $100 out of his pocket and challenged the crowd to put extra contributions above the admission price in too. Folk music by Jim Broughton and Bob Gee and songs by the Gaudeamus Children’s Choirs rounded out the evening.
Janet Duval implored the audience to dig deeper with her inspirational speech “They need our help and you won’t miss it”. The audience was inspired.
It was a hot June night but when Drew Leverette reminded the musicians and audience that their discomfort was nothing compared compared to the trauma that the people of these nations had endured, the complaints were few and far between.
Somewhere in Asia, people are getting extra help because a single musician in Georgetown, thought we she should do something. Thankfully, it worked.