HUNTSVILLE — The organizer of a Huntsville benefit concert for Haiti says the money raised could now be extended to Chile.
An 8.8 magnitude earthquake and reported tsunamis in its wake barreled over portions of the coastal South American country on Feb. 27.
This quake followed one of similar size — though causing far greater damage — in poverty-stricken Haiti on Jan. 12.
“I’ll leave it up to the Red Cross …. We’ll send money (we raise) to the Red Cross and let them decide what portion to send to Haiti and what portion to send to Chile,” said concert organizer Karen May of the HoneyGrass band.
The Huntsville for Haiti benefit concern is scheduled to take place Wednesday, March 31. The goal is to raise $10,000.
May, a musician and festival planner, approached the town last week to secure the Algonquin Theatre as a venue.
“Because I’m a musician and I have a lot of other musician friends and I also have promoting experience in the course of my business life, I felt it would make it more meaningful and personal for people from Huntsville to connect to this,” said May.
The town’s finance and administration committee has agreed to donate the use of the theatre and staff at no cost.
Money will come out of the council discretionary fund.
“I totally support the initiative and I think we were all caught up at the time of the disaster with all the work we have on our plate and it was always in the back of my mind that we should have done something as a municipality for that cause,” said Huntsville mayor Claude Doughty.
Moose FM morning host Jackie Dixon has signed on to host the event and Cogeco will broadcast it.
A variety of artists will play — country, rock, bluegrass, blues, and jazz, though the lineup is not yet confirmed.
May is also trying to organize a Haiti earthquake survivor to speak at the event.