Musical gift helps to build Habitat home

Quilt raffle raises additional funds

By SANDY LONG

WURTSBORO, NY — A gifted group of musicians will bestow a gift of music and song at the Community Church of Wurtsboro on Saturday, November 25 at 8:00 p.m. “Simple Gifts: A Concert of Joy and Thanks,” will be offered as a benefit concert to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity of Sullivan County.

As part of the Broadway Comes to Wurtsboro Series, the holiday program is presented by Broadway Concerts Direct. Selections will range from Handel to Copeland to Loesser. The heartfelt music and beautiful songs will be performed by some of the finest voices on Broadway and opera stages today, such as John Babcock, Rich Flanders, Alexandra Frederick, Rob Gardner, Tiffany Hampton, Jeffrey Polsky, Sarah Rice as well as TBD on piano and Tsuyoshi Furutsu on guitar.

Approximately three years ago, the show’s producer, John Hiller and his wife, Broadway performer Sara Rice, began performing in a local coffee shop with other talent from New York City. The couple owns a second home in Wurtsboro. In the audience one evening was the minister of the Community Church of Wurtsboro, who invited the group to perform at the church.

Another member of the church, Mark Hackett, who is co-chair of the construction committee for the Habitat for Humanity house, discussed the project with members of Broadway Concerts Direct, who graciously offered to perform as a benefit. It is the second concert performed at the church for Habitat’s benefit.

The new home is being built in Liberty, NY, and will provide much-appreciated shelter for the project’s partner family, Zaida Chasi and her children. A hand-made quilt constructed by members of the quilting group Callico Geese, and donated to the project to be raffled, will be displayed at the Simple Gifts concert. Tickets will be available for purchase that evening. Previous quilts donated by the group have raised several thousand dollars in support of Habitat projects.

Habitat for Humanity hopes to have the house enclosed before winter sets in so that indoor work can continue. They are seeking volunteers for a variety of activities such as soliciting donations, checking phone messages, working on a newsletter, managing public relations and organizing fund raisers. Volunteers should call 845/791-8305 or email SullivanHFH@hvc.rr.com.

General admission to the concert is $20; students and seniors pay $15. All proceeds will benefit the Habitat project. For more information visit www.BwayDirect.com or for reservations call 845/888-2798.