Concert to benefit Cajun cousins Musicians to play for hurricane relief

MADAWASKA – Acadians from northern Maine are going to raise their voices next month to raise money to assist the recovery and rebuilding efforts of their Cajun cousins of Louisiana.

A benefit concert will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, in the Madawaska High School cafetorium. All proceeds of the benefit will be forwarded to the Community Foundation of Acadiana.

“To Louisiana with Love: Concert pour nos cousins Cajuns,” will feature vocalists and musicians from throughout St. John Valley.

Sponsored by the Maine Acadian Heritage Council, the town of Madawaska, and the St. John Valley Times, a weekly newspaper in Madawaska, the effort will include a three-day telethon on a local-programming television channel to raise money.

The afternoon of live entertainment will include the Tri-Parish Choir from the Roman Catholic Parishes of St. Thomas and St. David in Madawaska and St. Gerard in Grand Isle, and the lively voices of Janice Lapointe of Van Buren, Lisa Hebert of St. David, and Adam Ouellette of Frenchville.

Samantha Bouthot, Meranda Hafford Castonguay, Lucie LeBlanc, Savanah Paradis and Kim Parent of Fort Kent also will be singing.

Lionel Doucette and Joan Baron of Madawaska and Lisa Ornstein of Fort Kent will bring their musical talents and instruments to the stage. The Center Stage Dance Studio from Fort Kent also will perform.

Several public figures from the St. John Valley will bring their hosting talents to the stage, and some will share true stories about the hurricanes that struck the Gulf Coast nearly two months ago.

Videotapes of St. Bruno-St. Remi Choir Society of Van Buren performances will entertain during the intermission.

Members of the Catholic Youth Movement of the three Roman Catholic Parishes of Madawaska-St. David and St. Gerard will be manning concession booths during intermission to increase contributions even further.

The concert will be filmed by WOWL-TV Channel 7, Madawaska High School’s television station. The video will be aired nonstop on Nov. 18, 19 and 20, and intermittently thereafter to raise more money.

Information on how to donate beyond the admission fee will be made during the afternoon concert. Donations may be made by sending checks to the Maine Acadian Heritage Council, P.O. Box 88, Madawaska 04756.

More information is available from Louise Martin, office manager at MAHC at 728-6826.