New RSO World Changers to host international concert Wednesday
The new registered student organization World Changers is holding a benefit concert to raise money for the purchase of a vehicle in Uganda for the Heart Cry International orphanage.
The concert, which starts at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Bovee University Center's third floor auditorium, will feature a variety of bands and world music, including a barbershop quartet, jazz sextet and the Arabic-influenced Wisaal. Lake Orion senior Joe Hertler and New Hampshire graduate student Andrew Cote will also be performing.
Cote, a member of World Changers, was a main factor in getting all of the bands to perform.
"A lot of times, when you go to concerts, the music is all the same. For this concert there is going to be pretty much a variety with all genres included," Cote said. "It's more so world music instead of American music."
During the transitions of performers, raffle ticket winners will be announced. Winners will receive gift cards to Ruby Tuesday, Gordon Food Services and La Seniorita. A video of images in Haiti will also be shown during the transitions of performers.
West Bloomfield junior and President Gina Wymore started World Changers as a branch of Heart Cry International, which works to improve the lives of children who have been abandoned or orphaned in Africa. She brought the organization to CMU after a mission trip to Haiti.
"After I went on the first two trips, it was an eye-opening experience of how much need there is the world," Wymore said. "I'm really happy with how everything is turning out so far. We have a lot of dedicated members who really have a passion to make a difference."
World Changers meets at 9 p.m. the first and third Mondays of each month in the Heart Cry office, located inside Student Book Exchange, 209 E. Bellows St. The semester goal is to raise $10,000 to purchase a van for My Hearts Home orphanage in Uganda so children there will have safe transportation.
"We just thought a concert would be a fun and creative way to fundraise," said Grand Rapids junior and Vice President Jordan Reed. "We hope everyone can come out, have a good time and help make a difference with us."
The concert is open to the public and tickets cost $5 each.
