 "Photo: MONICA SOUTHWORTH/MANITOU MESSENGER")
Last week, the Haiti Justice Alliance of Northfield put on a musical event raising approximately $4,000 for Haiti. The event featured groups from Northfield High School, Carleton and St. Olaf. The headliner was The Brothers Frantzich.
The organization held an event last year to benefit the What If? Foundation, which provides food for children in Haiti. After the earthquake, the two groups contacted each other and met to decide what event they could hold to raise money for the country.
Paul Miller, one of the organizers for the Haiti Justice Alliance of Northfield, said after meeting with St. Olaf’s OASIS group, the idea of having a concert began to take place.
“At the same time, Carleton asked us what they could do,” Miller said. “It’s nice [because] we’re an organizing body, but students are doing things by themselves.”
Each college has their own student group that organized and publicized the event. Feb. 27 was set as the date after considering the schedules of both colleges. Miller explained they wanted to have a student band from St. Olaf, Carleton and a group from Northfield high school.
Miller explained that the next formal event for the organization will be in April when the medical director of Partners in Health will speak at Carleton. After that, the plan is to finalize the organization and make it an official non-profit. In the future, Miller said that they want to continue the relationship between Northfield and the two colleges, facilitating student and community involvement.
“In the future we’ll be looking for opportunities for students to travel to Haiti and be involved with specific efforts like education and human rights law,” Miller said.
Until then, the organization will continue benefit events for Haiti.
“It was a really good night,” Miller said. “I feel that coming together with music was a good way to honor Haiti, everything they’ve been through, to give this message that we intend to be involved over the long haul and express our solidarity.”
Seen right are Clifton Nesseth ‘10, Paul Sauey ‘10 and Lewis Franti on percussion, a band invited to play by one of the St. Olaf organizers.
“For the three of us, playing music is sort of our primary objective. Having the ability to bring our passions to a meaningful cause is an opportunity, and it was exciting to see so many Northfield residence participating in the evening’s purpose,” Nesseth said.
southwor@stolaf.edu
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