Voices of Hope final story

Students, teachers, and community members gathered in the Performing Arts Center at Eastview High School to support a worthy cause. Voices of Hope is an event created by the Women's Chorale to raise funds for the Angel Foundation, which supports victims and families of those affected by cancer.Voices of Hope was an all-day event on Friday, February 19 with the first performer at 8 a.m. to the final performance at 12 p.m. Middle school and Eastview choirs, Eastview students and teachers, and local talent provided entertainment throughout the day. Funds for the Angel Foundation were raised by means of ticket sales, concessions, and donations.

Unfortunately, cancer is a disease that affects each and every one of us, in many different ways. One of Eastview’s own, Hannah Skalbeck, knows this all too well; her mother was diagnosed with stage-2 pancreatic cancer. Hannah soon learned she wasn’t alone in her struggle, so with the help of her friends in the Women’s Chorale, Voices of Hope was formed. This group of students has high hopes for the 16-hour concert, including the goal of raising $25,000.

Voices of Hope was truly a unique fundraiser, one unlike Eastview had ever experienced before. Senior Kelsey Reger, a member of the Concert Choir said, “Voices of Hope allowed for an opportunity for students to use their own talents to create change. A lot of people are affected by cancer.” It’s very hard to find someone who hasn’t felt the effects of cancer but every dollar raised is going to victims and families of cancer so life can be a little easier.The Angel Foundation was founded in 2001 and since then, it has become an important resource for those in need of support. While most organizations provide funds for research, the Angel Foundation provides funds for non-medical needs of cancer patients and those around them. When it came down to making a decision, there really wasn’t any doubt as to which organization to turn to. Reger said, “Ms. Sagen heard from a friend it was a good organization to work with because they don’t give money for research but to families to who need it.” Every dollar raised will definitely go to a great cause.

Every period provided entertainment as the day went on, and second period was no exception. It started out with a choir on tour that made Voices of Hope one if its stops. Not only did they bring their voices but they also donated a portion of their funds to this great cause. Next to perform was the Girls Treble Choir from Falcon Middle School, a group that also donated to the cause. The next two acts were from the language department. A Spanish class, mainly composed of seniors, and a Japanese class offered music in their respective languages. Following was the Men’s Chorale. The final act of second period was the Women’s Chorale, the group that organized Voices of Hope.