Two local groups are collaborating to benefit children and youth in Malawi.
The Friends of Thrive Malawi and the Sidney by the Sea Rotary Club announced their collaboration last week in a benefit concert featuring the The HiFi, a group of four talented Victoria-based professional jazz and blues musicians (Nick LaRiviere, Ryan Tandy, Art Booker and Damian Graham).
“We’re really looking forward to the event on Oct. 3 at the Winspear Centre,” said Stephen Eng, President of Thrive Malawi.
The Friends of Thrive Malawi is a group committed to supporting Thrive Malawi, a registered Canadian Charity that supports rehabilitation and nutritional programs for disabled and disadvantaged children in Malawi.
The programs are offered by the Children of Blessing Trust in Malawi under the leadership of Kathy Bowler, a Canadian trained physiotherapist and occupational therapist, and one of Eng’s family friends.
Sidney By The Sea Rotary has for many years supported the Atsikana Pa Ulendo (Girls on the Move) Secondary School in Malawi, an organization committed to helping young women achieve self-sufficiency through education.
When The Friends of Thrive Malawi started organizing the fundraising benefit earlier this year, the Sidney by the Sea Rotary Club seemed like a logical first choice to bring on board.
“Recognizing the value of a collaborative approach in promoting our common interest in helping children and youth in Malawi, we approached the Rotary Club with the idea of working together to promote our upcoming benefit and to share in the proceeds of the evening,” said Bert Boyd, a Thrive Malawi Board member.
“Sidney By The Sea Rotary welcomes this opportunity to work with The Friends of Thrive Malawi on this exciting benefit concert, and to jointly promote the programs we support in Malawi,” said Club President Bob Leitch.
The benefit will feature a pre-show reception at 6:30 p.m. with appetizers and a cash bar, which will be followed by The HiFi in concert at 7:30 p.m.
“We are so pleased to be able to lend our support to this worthwhile benefit,” said HiFi drummer Damian Graham. “It’s so great knowing we can actually affect change by being a part of this event.”
Tickets are $38 (including taxes) and are available through the Mary Winspear box office (250-656-0275) or at marywinspear.ca.
reporter@peninsulanewsreview.com