Northwest Girlchoir Sings for Water with Beautiful Results

For 38 years, the Northwest Girlchoir (http://www.northwestgirlchoir.org/) has championed extraordinary music education and performance opportunities for girls and young women.  This month, in honor of World Water Day 2011, the choral organization championed something else … clean water.  From concerts performed in two locations in the Seattle, Washington area, the choir’s Artistic Director, Sara Boos, decided that the groups would put their artistic talents to work to fund clean water projects, one internationally (in Africa), and one locally (toward Puget Sound’s clean-up).

For the March concerts, the theme of water was chosen.  A selection of water-themed songs that included poetry from Masefield and Longfellow, a Zulu folksong, and a popular African spiritual were interspersed with narration by the choristers who shared facts about the clean water issues that plague developing countries. Included in the program, Ms. Boos spurred the concert attendees on, writing, “As we sing about the rush of a river, the power of the ocean, the tranquility of a still lake, and the rhythm of the rain, we hope that you will also consider how precious a resource water is, what we can all do to use it justly, and how we can ensure that every person has access to safe, clean water.”

The concert patrons certainly rose to the challenge as they generously donated $712 toward a well project.  Wondering what $712 would do, I was happy to report to Ms. Boos that this would come close to paying for the cost of a hand pump, or bring clean water to nearly 3 classrooms of children at a school.  The Northwest Girlchoir’s donation will be partnered with other donations to bring clean water to a community that will no doubt join the choir and sing a big thank you to the kind donors from the Northwestern United States!