ROTARY'S APRIL 8 CONCERT BENEFITS JAPAN'S TSUNAMI VICTIMS

Music Director James O’Dell has planned a varied program of light classical, jazz, Dixieland, show, and Latin tunes, headlined by singer Amanda Carr’s versatile renditions of selections from the Great American Songbook.  Back by popular demand, having just starred with the Silver Fox Jazz Quintet at the Performing Arts Center, 51 Walden, Carr has won the admiration of music critics throughout the country. Amazon’s Jazz Bestseller List ranked her recent CD release, Common Thread, number two on the list, following a Wall Street Journal endorsement.

Proceeds from the Pops concert will benefit Rotary’s community and international service projects. Current efforts center on helping earthquake victims in Japan and Haiti. In response to the massive quake in Japan, The Rotary Foundation has established the Rotary Japan 2011 Disaster Recovery Fund, which will support long-term recovery projects in affected areas. In response to the Haiti quake, the Rotary Club of Concord delivered 25 Shelter Boxes (each containing a tent and supplies for 10 people) at a cost of $25,000. The Concord Club is continuing its work in Haiti, focusing on three schools, providing technology support, water treatment and a van among other things.

Other Rotary Club of Concord projects have included raising funds for the elimination of polio; holding the Festival of Wreaths to benefit Domestic Violence Services Network; and sponsoring a golf tournament to raise scholarship funds for high school and college students. Concord Rotarians served hot chocolate at the Holiday Tree-Lighting Night in December, marched in the Patriot’s Day and 375^th Anniversary Parades and served slush cones at Picnic in the Park. They volunteered at Gaining Ground, held bowling and golf outings for Minuteman ARC, and served at Open Table and Bristol Lodge community suppers. They sponsored a fishing trip for veterans and provided support for Hanscom families. They distributed Holiday gifts for children of persons incarcerated at MCI, and worked on the Spring clean-up on Concord roadsides.

Programs for youth included awarding Middle School students prizes for Academic Achievement, sending Sophomores to a leadership training weekend, honoring High School students at Class Act, giving college scholarships, sponsoring an Interact Club at CCHS, hosting international high school exchange students and graduate-level Ambassadorial Scholars. In the Philippines and Nepal, they focused on literacy. In Cambodia, the Sharing Foundation. In Uganda, a Rural University.

Never a week goes by that the Rotary Club of Concord does not have some activity aimed at fulfilling its motto of  “Service Above Self.”  But it could not achieve any of this without the support of friends and neighbors who attend events and generously donate to their cause.