Eden Foundation to hold fundraising concert this weekend
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The Eden Foundation will hold a fundraising concert on Saturday in order to build up its services to Steinbach and the Southeast.
“We are holding this event to fundraise to help fund our mental health programs,” said Dave Sawatsky, director of development at the Eden Foundation. “The Eden Foundation is the fundraising arm of Eden Mental Health Services. To support our programs we’ll hold several fundraising events throughout the year and this one is in Steinbach on March 8. So, we’re hoping to get a good turnout for the event.”
The concert will be held at Christian Fellowship Church in Steinbach at 7 p.m. and will showcase the talents of the Winnipeg Singers and the Steinbach Youth Chorus.
“It’s about a 45-minute program and based on a variety of styles of composers starting with George Frideric Handel and Felix Mendelssohn up to 21st century American composer Ola Gjeilo, Norwegian born but he lives in America now,” said Winnipeg Singers artistic director Yuri Klaz, whose choir is a 24-member professional ensemble.
Some of the songs the audience will recognize include Handel’s Messiah and a chorus written by Mendelssohn titled Elijah: He’s watching over Israel.
“The Winnipeg Singers had a concert of Irish music and we’ll be performing some pieces by Michael McGlynn who is the founder and artistic director of the world-renowned choir Anuna from Ireland. We’ll be ending our program with very lovely spirituals and people will like them.”
Th Winnipeg Singers are in their 52nd season of performing and have won numerous national and international awards.
The concert will raise money to expand supportive housing in Steinbach.
“There are projects in the works that we are hopeful that will come to fruition. I can’t talk too much about them but we’re hoping to expand,” said Sawatsky.
Eden Mental Health Services provides four services to Steinbach and the Southeast: supportive housing for people who are facing mental health challenges, counselling services through its Recovery of Hope counselling service, employment services, and psychiatric services.
The concert on Saturday is free but a free will offering is encouraged.
“I know that the community is generous, and they are supportive of Eden and what we do and have done in the Steinbach and the southeast region, so we’re looking forward to the event,” said Sawatsky.