By Nicole Meoli
In celebration of Black History Month, Mercer Island Presbyterian Church will host a concert of African-American spirituals performed by Ronald Campbell, Bass-Baritone, and accompanied by Melody Chen, Organist, at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11, at the church.
Ronald Campbell is a classically trained Bass-Baritone specializing in African-American Spirituals, anthems, arias, art songs, choral music, operas and show tunes. “A Tribute to Black History” is the first in the church’s 2005 concert music series. For concert information, contact Cheryl Storey at 232-5596 ext. 211. Mercer Island Presbyterian Church is located at 3605 84th Avenue S.E.
Also in celebration, “Anansi the Spider” and other tales from Africa will be heard at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 25, at the Mercer Island Library. Presented by Clay Martin’s Puppet Theater, the folktales have animal heroes. The puppet designs are based on African art from at the Seattle Art Museum.
Get your dancin’ shoes
The Garageniks, a local rock `n’ roll band, is playing a benefit concert for Youth Theatre Northwest 8 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, Feb. 12, at the VFW Hall located at 1836 72nd Ave. S.E. Cost is $20 per person and $35 per couple, $5 for kids or $40 per family.
Relief still pouring in
Students at Mercer Island High School pulled together $5,900 toward the tsunami relief effort in Asia. Nearly $1,700 for the relief effort was collected during a Bridges/advisory session at the school. Students in the comparative government classes added $300. AP English classes added to the amount with their collections of $1,400. A parent submitted all of those donations through Boeing’s charitable matching program, doubling that donation to $6,800 that was sent to Mercy Corps. The comparative government classes also took up a separate collection and donated $2,500 — an amount doubled by QFC — and sent on to the Red Cross.
Travel expert landed on Island
Monday, Feb. 7, The Mercer Island Women’s Club’s luncheon featured travel expert Rick Steves. Steves, the best-selling author of more than 30 European travel books, and host of the public television series Rick Steves’ Europe, shared all the latest on smart European travel. Steves believes that thoughtful travel is a powerful way for Americans to broaden their perspectives. His lessons help travelers everywhere not only enjoy maximum travel thrills per mile, minute and euro, but also become better citizens of our planet.
Calling all Christian poets
A $1,000 grand prize is being offered to Islander residents who enter in a special religious poetry contest sponsored by Christian Fine Arts Society. To submit your work, send one poem of 21 lines or less to Free Poetry Contest, 9588 Thornbush Lane Fishers, IN, 46038 or enter online at www.freecontest.com
Know anything going on around the Island? E-mail Nicole at nicole.meoli@mi-reporter.com
