Rising from many challenges, TCC-Israel successfully held their planned Cancer Awareness and Survival Concert on 25th October as celebration for their 3rd anniversary. The amount of more than Php142,000.00 was raised and is dedicated to their 6 beneficiaries in the Philippines.
As part of TCC Israel’s fund raising drive aside from selling shirt for a cause and trip for a cause, an opportunity to bring music as a means of fund raising has materialised. It was intended to bring together all aspiring amateur Igorot music lovers, singers and instrumentalists to use their hidden talents for a cause. Aside from developing their talents and skills, and to free the stress from work, the main purpose is to make other people benefit from it.
For the past months, some of the beneficiaries are messaging if we could help them financially since their long term medication is too expensive. As for me, I can not give them money from my own pocket so I decided to help them through our organization. One that inspired me is our ongoing concert-for-life series way back home in the Philippines.
At first, it was difficult to start because we do not have place to practice, no gadgets and instruments to use. I opened up to friends and co-leaders and we dont know how to start. Thankfully, James Ban-o, the Vice President of AIMWI organization, a friend and once my co-music instrumentalist in church music team from previous years, did not hesitate to offer his help upon asking him to help the organization.
Interestingly, I had the opportunity to ask from TCC-Israel members and friends for solicitation to help fund our 2 speakers, microphones, and mixer. While we scout for other team to join us in the band to perform for the concert for a cause, with the kind of work and schedules of day-offs, it is so hard to look for our company. It is even more difficult as we do not have yet space for practices. During those times, and since I really want this the concert to happen, I have to produce instruments from my own pocket. We then have something to use for practices and the concert itself. With the help of a special friend, we bought more instruments needed for the performance such as the drums, bass guitar, acoustic guitars with amplifiers, keyboards and the other accesories needed. By God’s providence, everything was settled until we finally have some friends and volunteers who are willing to join us.
Thankfully, the secretary of our organization offered her place for us to have a place for jamming and practices. As we are all amatuers, the approach was for us to be learning from each other. We asked TCC Founder Marben Orfiano for help with the ticket designs and popsie Gregorio Taag for insights on how to do all the things and with the help of other member volunteers and leaders, against all odds, thankfully by God’s guidance, we were able to organise everything.
Thru everyone’s help, we were able to sell 737 out of the targeted 1,000 tickets. This amounts to Php142,934.90 and is intended for our 6 beneficiaries. Luckily, our expenses did not cost that much because during the practices, the members of the band managed to share for food and meriendas. Also, some of the expenses during the event, officers and members shared to cover the rent food and tokens. I was not expecting this amount to be raised from this first concert activity. I was overwhelmed with the members and co-leaders’ help for the success of this event, as well as those invited participants because they came also to join us from other organizations. From the previous activities, I have seen how all our activities were going well by the help of our members and volunteers. I hope that this act of charity causes we do will continue and the chain will even expand. With respect to other chapters of TCC who became our inspiration to pursue, and to other Igorot organizations here that we encounter, I always believe that there is always unity amidst diversity. We have different ways to be productive that’s why we have different kinds of organization but with a goal to help in general. The more organizations, the more people that we can help. With that, as we help people improve their lives, we are also helping ourselves to be a better version of ourselves.
Written by Jubay Jovsky, TCC-Israel President
THE CORDILLERA CONNECTION 