Students to hold benefit concert for Haiti

Summary: Calvin students plan benefit concert to raise money for Haiti relief
via the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC).

Calvin students have teamed up with the school's Social Justice Committee to
plan a Haiti benefit concert. From 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 5, and 2:30
to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 6, eleven musical acts will take the stage in
Calvin College's Chapel. There will also be a silent auction on a gallery of
donated artwork.

The $3 admission charge for either night of the concert will go towards Haiti
relief efforts via the work of the CRWRC.

First-year Calvin student Carrie Bensfield thought up the idea of holding a
benefit concert while she was driving home from Chicago with friends. She said
Haiti was near to her heart, as she had just visited the earthquake-stricken
country this past summer. The concert was a practical way she could help.

Concert organizers will be selling t-shirts: red shirts bearing the slogan
"Don’t forget to remember Haiti." They're calling on concertgoers and others
to buy the shirts and wear them for a week, an effort they have dubbed a
"clothing fast."

"In Haiti, you may only have one shirt," explained first-year student Becky
Kim, who is helping organize the concert. “It helps to raise awareness (and to)
relate to the people of Haiti," added Bensfield.

Both young women were heartened by reports that Haitian president Rene Preval
had called for three days of fasting and prayer in the aftermath of the
earthquake.

"I wept and wept," Kim said.

"I'm learning that God can take tragedies like these that are so bad and make
something good out of them," said Bensfield. "We serve a God who does not waste
anything, even tragedies."

-end-

Matt Kucinski
Media Relations Manager
Calvin College
msk23@calvin.edu
616.526.8935 (office)
616.307.7429 (cell)
Received on Thu Mar 4 11:12:04 2010