I was privileged to be invited to watch an Open-air Fundraising concert by the Ced Chorale, a choir of Medical students from the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital. It was towards Childhood Cancers.
I really did not plan to get there early. After rushing to work from Monday to Friday, I wanted to relax, take my own time to get to a place and not be worried about receiving a query letter.
So I was an hour late (which I regret until now.)
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The venue was the paved forecourt of the National Blood service, Ghana.
Even though there were seats, some preferred to stand. Those who stood had a better view. It’s a good thing tickets weren’t sold, they would have had the expensive VIP tickets.
The sweet scents of bubblegum and toffees tickled my nose as I made my way to a seat. This wasn’t surprising seeing the number of ladies around though it made me a bit self-conscious. I don’t care for such sweet scents but here, it seemed saturating yourself with perfume and hairspray was the in-thing albeit slightly suffocating.
Thank goodness, I don’t suffer from asthma or allergies.
I felt rather sorry for Med Chorale having to sing amidst all the fragrance plus the unrelenting dust of the Harmattan- A real test.
It’s my pleasure to say, they passed the test: the medical students sang well-real Chorale Music. I was proud (I knew one person) if med school didn’t work out for them they had another vocation.
As I had reckoned the fundraising would consist a silver collection, I had slipped into my purse GHS10.00. Just one plain old green note.
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When it’s time for raising funds, the MC says, “Let’s start from a Thousand Ghana Cedis.” Wow, I didn’t see it coming.
I was glad I was in the backseats.
Then they come down to Five Hundred Ghana Cedis.
Hmm. I was seriously underprepared for this fundraising.
“….Hundred Ghana Cedis!”
This one too, I can’t afford it? After dressing like someone from the Caribbean Islands.
“…Fifty Ghana Cedis!”
They obviously had no problem embarrassing me.
Ushers are busy going round passing around pledge forms and picking cheques and I was busy trying to disappear in my seat.
Finally some Good News, I chided myself for being so apprehensive- like any good fundraising programme, even the coins are collected.
From Fifty Ghana Cedis it moved to a Silver Collection -to my relief.
Med Chorale sung as the rest of us dropped our widows’ mite into the bags provided.
On the whole, I doff my hat to them singing in the open air during the Harmattan.
I doff my hat to them raising funds for Childhood Cancers.-A very noble cause.
But I especially doff my hat to them for remembering that no little contribution is too small and for giving me that opportunity to be part of the noble cause.
By Benewah Gyekye Bannermann
(Beanie-waa, Jie-chi, Banner-mann)
