St. John’s Tri-M Music Honor Society hosted its inaugural benefit concert on September 15, 2019 at the Dale J. Jenkins Gymnasium. Donations to the concert benefited the Mahanaim Orphanage in Bali. Concertgoers enjoyed music performed by the St. John’s Glee Club and Orchestra, and the Una Voce Tumon Choir from the Blessed Diego Luis San Vitores Church, all the while supporting a great cause.
Admission was free of charge, but the audience members were encouraged to donate.
Through this benefit concert, this will not only teach students to pay forward their blessings, but also allow St. John’s School to continue the long history of giving. Music teacher and organizer of the benefit concert, Mr. Norman Babia, added that by having the Tri-M Music Honor Society spearhead this noble effort of annually giving to organizations, both locally and abroad, they can bear their emblem of service through this great project.
Mrs. Renee Bonds Finn, co-founder of the Mahanaim Orphanage, was thankful for the students and faculty for honoring the orphanage with the concert. She added that the money raised will be used for a common area which will include a soccer field used for several sports, and a gazebo where the children can gather to eat or chat. She further mentioned that they plan on naming the gazebo after St. John’s. “Our heartfelt gratitude to all the donors for their contributions. This recreation area will be an amazing blessing for the kids,” said Mrs. Renee.
Mr. Babia would like to thank all those who made the concert possible – students, parents, maintenance crew, teachers and administrators. Despite the heavy rain, there was a good turnout. “I thank those generous donors who donated some of their financial blessing to the children served by the Mahanaim Orphanage staff,” expressed Mr. Babia.
On Friday, September 20, St. John’s School presented a check of the money raised from the successful fundraising event to Mr. Patrick Finn and Mrs. Renee Bonds Finn, co-founders of Mahanaim Orphanage.
Left to right: Ms. Patricia Bennett, Head of School, Mrs. Molly Olah, Tri-M Music Honor Society Advisor, Mrs. Renee Bonds Finn, Brielle Finn, Mr. Patrick Finn and Mr. Norman Babia, Music Teacher
About Mahanaim Orphanage
In the town of Negara, Bali sits an orphanage with 26 children. Year after year children of all ages have spent their childhood here until they are old enough to move out on their own. Families around the world have come together to sponsor one or two children, enabling them to have an education, a healthy diet and shoes on their feet.
St. John's School, Guam 