Youth Coffee House Supports Zambian Orphans

Get Ready for the FUSN Youth Coffee House

Plan to buy your tickets—after services or at the door—for the 2012 Youth Coffee House set for on Saturday, March 3.

The event kicks off at 7 p.m. with acoustic and comedy acts; bands hit the stage from 9-11 p.m. in the FUSN Parish Hall. Proceeds of tickets ($5 for youth; $10 for adults) and sales of snacks, tee shirts, and Zambian items benefit the Chawama Family Support Home for AIDS Orphans and Vulnerable Children in a small township near Lusaka and Communities Without Borders.

Each year is a blast!

The First Unitarian Society of Newton (FUSN) holds the Youth Coffeehouse fundraiser in March each year to support Communities Without Borders (CWB). The event raises money to support the education costs of orphans and vulnerable children in Chawama, FUSN’s partner community in Zambia. The event is successful due to the efforts of some 85 youth and 35 adults who serve on the leadership team, committees, and/or as performers. Usually more than 400 attendees buy tickets, food, beverages, and merchandise. Some people make additional donations to CWB after hearing testimonials about CWB’s work in Chawama from FUSN teenagers who traveled to Zambia in the summer.

The event is entertaining! The acts are varied and include acapella groups, bands, comedy troupes, juggling, and musical performances by teenagers from Newton North and Newton South high schools. Two FUSN teens serve as MCs and engage the crowd with humor. The accompanying pictures highlight the array of talent from the show.

Stay tuned for the next Coffee House!

The 2010 Coffee House Line Up

Rachel Bass & Sophie Scharlin-Pettee ~ Mistresses of Ceremonies

Acoustic Act ~ 7-9 PM

• Ukulele Brothers ~ Paul Batchelor (bass & ukulele) & Brendan Hathaway (ukulele)=
• Newtones ~ the Newton South acapella group
• Will Batchelor ~ Diabolo
• Bandanasaurus ~ Julia Belamarich (guitar) & Melissa Weikart (vocals)
• Children of the Candy Corn ~ the Newton South improv troupe
• John MacGaffey ~ fiddler

~Youth appeal for Communities Without Borders~

• Forté ~ the Newton North acapella group
• Melissa Sullivan ~ pianist
• Skylar Fox ~ juggler
• Rachelle Jereza ~ vocalist accompanied by Paul Batchelor, Nate Harris, & Dan Friedman
• Cabaret Troupe ~ Newton North contemporary musical theatre group

Bands ~ 9-11 PM

• Common Illusion ~ Emmet McCleary (vocals, drums), Alec Mapes-Frances (guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals), Owen Weitzman (guitar)
• Pajammin' ~ Nick Sobel (vocals, saxophone), Josh Richards (rhythm guitar), Ben Weissman (trumpet, rap), Sam Forman (bass, vocals), Matt Breuer (drums), Ross Hoyt (lead guitar, keyboards)
• Phinale ~ Bohan Leng
• Downtown Collective ~ Nate Harris (keys, vocals), Jordan Ascher (guitar, vocals), Alex Ho (guitar), Paul Batchelor (bass, vocals), Dan Friedman (drums)
• Vitamin Seed ~ Motoki Otsuka (drums), Zachary Levine-Caleb (bass, vocals), Neev Blume (guitar), Patrick Colin Walsh (synth, kalimba, percussion)

Location: Parish Hall, 1326 Washington Street, West Newton MA