Students’ Call Of Hope

Pulled In A Packed House For Haiti Fundraiser

By Shannon Hicks

Some sang. Some played piano solos. Others offered instrumental trios. There was poetry, a pair of slide shows, and even some comedy last Friday afternoon, all part of a talent show that served as a fundraiser for a school in earthquake-stricken Haiti.

Thirty students, the members of Trinity Episcopal Church’s 5th–6th Grade Church School class, shared their myriad performing talents with an audience at The Blue Z Coffeehouse on Friday, April 30. The room at 127 South Main Street was teeming with parents and other family members, friends and fellow Trinity members who were all there to enjoy the talents of the church’s youth. They were also there to offer some funds for the church’s ongoing Good Samaritan Project.

Donations received on Friday will be used toward the rebuilding of Ecole le Bon Samaritan (The Good Samaritan School), an elementary school in Carrefour, Haiti, that had been established in 1996 by Episcopalian priest Jean-Ellie Millien and his wife Mona. The couple transformed their home into the school, which also provided students with a hot lunch and basic medical care before the January 12 earthquake that changed so much of the country.

While founders and teachers of Ecole de Bon Samaritan have been unable to teach or use the school building, they have turned a nearby building that survived the earthquake into an emergency medical clinic, operating one day of the week, through the generosity of volunteer doctors and nurses and donations of medical supplies. Old St Andrews in Bloomfield, Connecticut hospitals, and several Episcopal churches in Connecticut, including Trinity, have provided all of the supplies and paid expenses for these volunteers.

Friday’s talent show, “Call of Hope For Haiti: a variety show of talent by children helping children,” offered more than an hour of entertainment, which was emceed by Callan Rafferty. Performers included Will “Billiam” Roman, Danny Toby, and Paul Whitaker on piano, Elizabeth Chamiec-Case on piano and cello, Devin Peterson on piano and guitar, Briana Lutz on viola, Emily Toby on cello, Nick Randle on saxophone, and Shawn McCarthy on drums.

Vocalists included Clare Boyle, Elizabeth Chamiec-Case, Callan Rafferty, and Will Sandercox. The afternoon’s comedians were Marie and Nick Randle, Shawn McCarthy, and Mike Mandel, who performed during the first half of the show, and D.J. Geissinger-Tuttle, who offered his own set of jokes and riddles during the second half.

In addition, Anna Moses provided piano accompaniment for some of the performances. Before the show even began, attendees were welcomed by greeters David Anderson, Gregory Brissette, Peyton Cutolo, Christian Morlock, and Amanda Tramposch.

As part of their church’s Lenten Church School Outreach Project, the children have been learning about Haiti as a whole in addition to the nation where an earthquake struck and changed many lives four months ago. Trinity Church School Minister Sue Vogelman, and teachers Mary and Rick Chamiec-Case, Priscilla Jones, and Ben Toby had decided to focus on Haiti for this year’s church school outreach program the same day the earthquake struck the country back in January.

During Friday’s performance, Mr Toby credited the young performers for their “diverse talents and their wish to give something back to the world.”

Blue Z owners Lauren and Steve Baluzy were very busy behind the counter, serving plenty of their regular menu items along with a special selection of Caribbean fare. Creamed potato soup, Haitian pumpkin soup, Haitian salad (with peas, carrots, green beans and corn), and pineapple punch were all selling well.

Friday’s talent show was far from the only effort by the Main Street church to help those who were effected by the earthquake. In February, the church hosted a coffeehouse event that raised money for rebuilding efforts.

 In March, a portion of the proceeds from the church’s 3rd Annual International Wine Tasting were also earmarked for Haitian relief efforts. And last weekend, on May 2, Trinity welcomed The University Singers, a 14-member a cappella singing ensemble from Central Connecticut State University. A freewill offering collected during the Sunday afternoon concert was also promised for continued earthquake relief.

In addition to all this, Trinity welcomed Danelie Millien, daughter of Ecole le Bon Samaritan Jean-Elie Millien, as a featured speaker during the Sunday morning education hour on May 2.