THE POWER OF GIVING
"If you knew what I know about the power of giving,
you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way." Buddha
"If you knew what I know about the power of giving,
you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way." Buddha
Once upon a time I heard Gladys Knight in person describe her music as a gift she was destined to share with others; that in so doing she would find happiness and her true purpose in life. It was a philosophy she thanked her mother for. Annie Lennox created SING to raise awareness about AIDS in Africa, and to provide a way for others to become involved. Countless other musicians have used their gifts to engage others to make the world a better place. Inspired by these musicians, my concerts, since I began performing as a solo artist in 2003, have been primarily dedicated in some way to giving back. Many have taken place in nursing homes, special needs classrooms, and at community fundraising events, and focus on helping women and children. The following are some of the major charity events I have been involved with:
PLAN CANADA. On April 10, 2003, on my daughter's birthday, I adopted a thirteen year old foster child girl in India, as a memorial tribute to my own daughter, who had died tragically a few months earlier at age eighteen. My intention was to fund this initiative entirely through my music performances for five years, until my foster child reached her 18th birthday. Thanks to fan support of my annual benefit concerts, I was able to realize this goal.
UNICEF. Inspired by a desire to help others in need, and a short term Canadian Government matching donation offer, I challenged my high school classroom students to take up the Canadian Government offer, and together - in only seven days - we contributed $1600 to UNICEF to help those affected by the 2012 drought in Somalia.
THE SOUL SISTERS ANNUAL BENEFIT CONCERTS: My first performance as a solo artist was at the first Soul Sisters Concert in May 2003. Sponsored by The Room hair salon in Regina, these annual concerts raised funds for the YWCA women’s shelters. I performed at this annual event for the majority of its ten active years.
THE STEPHEN LEWIS FOUNDATION (SLF) works with community-level organizations which are turning the tide of HIV/AIDS in Africa by providing care and support to women, orphaned children, grandmothers and people living with HIV and AIDS, and has inspired the foundation of over 240 Grandmothers for Grandmothers Chapters across Canada.
GRANDMOTHERS FOR GRANDMOTHERS (G4G) Chapters raise funds for the Stephen Lewis Foundation to alleviate the plight of grandmothers in Africa as they care for their grandchildren who have been orphaned by the AIDS pandemic. In addition to volunteering at a number of G4G events, I have coordinated and performed at the following three major G4G events:
THE SISTERS FOR SISTERS BENEFIT CONCERT: Assisted by the Regina G4G Chapter of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, I coordinated the Sisters for Sisters Benefit Concert on March 7, 2009, to commemorate both International Women’s Day, and the fourth anniversary of the Stephen Lewis Foundation in Canada. The event was recorded live by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation; was emceed by the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan; attended by three hundred; and raised several thousand dollars for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. I am very grateful to G4G Regina for helping make this event a reality.
REGINA G4G ANNUAL BENEFIT GALA. Featured Performer. May 2014.
PORT ALBERNI SLF GRANDMOTHERS (PAGO GRANNIES) Benefit Concert. October 2014
THE SISTERS FOR SISTERS BENEFIT CONCERT: Assisted by the Regina G4G Chapter of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, I coordinated the Sisters for Sisters Benefit Concert on March 7, 2009, to commemorate both International Women’s Day, and the fourth anniversary of the Stephen Lewis Foundation in Canada. The event was recorded live by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation; was emceed by the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan; attended by three hundred; and raised several thousand dollars for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. I am very grateful to G4G Regina for helping make this event a reality.
REGINA G4G ANNUAL BENEFIT GALA. Featured Performer. May 2014.
PORT ALBERNI SLF GRANDMOTHERS (PAGO GRANNIES) Benefit Concert. October 2014
THE CANADIAN HARAMBEE EDUCATION SOCIETY (C.H.E.S.). Through this non-profit organization founded by former Canadian teachers, I helped my home room of twenty high school students raise $1800 to provide a young girl in Tanzania, Africa, with a full four year high school education scholarship.
I performed at FOODSTOCK, a Benefit Concert of Regina Singer / Songwriters, organized by Regina's Jeffery Straker, for the Regina Food Bank.
