PARIS – Every year for the past four years, a community-based choir has put on a concert to make sure teenagers have gifts for Christmas.
“We are having a blast,” said Cynthia Wescott, organizer of the event, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School.
All of the proceeds of the ticket prices of $7 adults, $5 for seniors and students, will benefit Christmas for Teens, a project of Rightstart. A spinoff of the longstanding Christmas for Kids project, Christmas for Teens raises money to buy presents for needy teenagers.
Early in the fall, Wescott puts out the call for teens and adults who want to participate. The response was terrific, she said, and the choir has been practicing every week since September.
“It’s people who just love to sing and want to sing a variety of music,” she said.
The concert uses narrators, props, caroling trumpeters and special lighting to celebrate the giving spirit of the holidays.
Themes this year will be “Winter Fun and Frolic,” “Days of Old,” “The Christmas Story,” and a reflective period focusing on the reason for the concert.
“There are so many teens in need in our area, and they’re not asking for the moon,” said Wescott, long time high school music director who now works at the high school part time. “They’re asking for linen, warm clothes. They’re in real need.”
Wescott said her husband, Al, has spent many hours working on the lighting, which will feature a scrim, or two-way mirror cloth, to create special effects. “It’s all lighting trickery,” she said.
Wescott is also grateful for the help of fellow production coordinators Shirli Allen, Jonathon Smith, Virginia Noble, Susan Glines and numerous guest conductors and performers.
Christmas for Teens serves teens aged 13-18 who are full-time students of SAD 17 schools and who meet economic requirements. Homeless teens meeting the same requirements are served as well.
Tickets for the concert are available at L.F. Pike & Sons and Ken and Thom’s Floor Covering in Norway, and Books-N-Things in Oxford. Tickets may also be purchased at the door or from chorus members.
For more information, call the high school music department at 743-8914, ext. 1015, or Jean Delamater, Christmas for Teens, 539-4587.
ggeraghty@sunjournal.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.