The locally produced telethon to assist earthquake ravaged Haiti entitled “To Haiti with Love” ended just after 11pm tonight with a final amount of $82,372.00 raised. As was expected, Bermudians were very generous with money pouring in through the whole event.
Premier Dr. Ewart Brown and his wife Wanda Henton-Brown, generously matched the $6,000 donations made by civil servants, with Dr. Brown calling into the telethon from the House of Assembly. Bermuda’s two oldest political parties, the UBP and PLP, made donations of $1,200 each.
Exceptionally impressive was two young students who both asked that instead of receiving birthday presents, that their family/friends instead donate to Haiti. 7 year old Sebastian Finkbeiner donated $250, and Kiara Simons donated $200.
The students of St. Georges Prep School donated $5,000, which the student body had raised through fundraisers including car washes, bake sales and grub days.
The students of Northlands Primary made a $2,000 donation they raised through a grub day.
The students of TN Tatem Middle School and Prospect Primary each made donations of $1,000.
There were two dozen pledge takers who donated their time answering calls, including Bermudian soccer great Shaun Goater, the UBP’s Jeff Sousa, Senator Michael Dunkley and Minister David Burch.
Artist Sharon Wilson donated a piece “Cats in The Cradle”, which received a winning bid of over $2,500.
The telethon was a credit to Bermuda and our people with solid performances, generous donations and an exceptional fundraising efforts from the school students of Bermuda.
Performers Included
- African Dance & Drumming Group
- Berkeley Institute Choir performed “Lean on Me”
- Bermuda Institute Steel Band played two songs
- Bobby Washington sang “Love is For Real”
- Christopher Darrell played the violin
- Dilton Lightbourne played the saw
- Gavin Smith sang “Crisis”, which he wrote for specifically for the telethon
- Joy Barnum and Band sang
- Larrita Adderly sang
- Lauralee and Jay sang “Prayer”
- Marita Andre sang
- Marsden Praise Team sang
- Mount Zion Male Voices Choir performed two songs
- Native Dance Group performed a blanket dance
- Ras Mykal performed a spoken word piece
- Ronald Lightbourne sang and accompanied himself on the piano
- Sabor School of Dance
- Seabreeze Salsa danced
- Sia Spence sang
- St. Georges Prep Choir
- The Unit performed “Sing a Song of Songs”
- Tony Barry performed “What a Wonderful World”
