The Central Ohio Symphony and Ohio Wesleyan University are creating “Orchestras Feeding Delaware,†a community event to collect food and critically needed items for People In Need, Inc. – a family service agency that provides emergency aid to Delaware County residents.
The special event will be held on Sunday, in Ohio Wesleyan’s Branch Rickey Arena. Starting at 6:30 p.m., representatives from area non-profit agencies will participate in a community service fair at the event and the concert will begin at 7 p.m.
There is no admission charge, but each listener is asked to bring canned or boxed food items or personal products to benefit People In Need, Inc.
Warren Hyer, executive director of the Central Ohio Symphony, has invited area high school orchestras to join in what he hopes will be “Ohio’s largest orchestra.â€
The Central Ohio Symphony will first perform selections from the “Star Wars Suite†and “West Side Story.†Area high schools orchestras will then join in to perform Bizet’s “Farandole†and the “Ode to Joy†from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (declared by the United Nations as the official music of world unity and peace).
The idea for this event grew from the recent “Orchestras Feeding America National Food Drive,†which was inspired by the soon-to-be-released major film “The Soloistâ€, which is based on the true story about a gifted musician found living homeless in Los Angeles.
Kevin Crowley, executive director of People In Need, said the concert’s contributions will remain in Delaware to help local residents. “Although more than 80 percent of our clients are employed or have a steady income, they have been unable to support their families due to an unexpected emergency, illness or job loss,†Crowley said. “More than 5,200 Delaware County residents were helped in 2008, and this number is expected to rise dramatically in 2009 because of the economic downturn.”
Among the items needed most by People in Need are:
- Bar Soap**
- Boxed Dinners such as Hamburger/Tuna Helper (CRITICAL NEED)
- Cake and Frosting Mixes
- Canned Fruit – CRITICAL NEED
- Canned Fruit Juices
- Canned Meats/Fish CRITICAL NEED
- Canned Vegetables
- Canned Pasta CRITICAL NEED
- Cereal – cooked/dry
- Coffee – instant/perked
- Cooking oil/shortening
- Diapers/Wipes**
- Crackers: Saltine & Graham
- Dish Soap**
- Dry Milk
- Feminine Hygiene Products CRITICAL NEED
- Hot Chocolate: instant/mix
- Jell-O CRITICAL NEED
- Jelly CRITICAL NEED
- Kleenex
- Laundry Detergent**
- Macaroni & Cheese CRITICAL NEED
- Muffin Mixes
- Noodles/Macaroni
- Pancake Mix – complete
- Paper Towels**
- Peanut Butter CRITICAL NEED
- Potatoes – boxed/instant
- Powered Milk CRITICAL NEED
- Pudding mixes
- Razors CRITICAL NEED
- Shampoo** CRITICAL NEED
- Shaving Cream** CRITICAL NEED
- Spaghetti Sauce
- Soup
- Sugar
- Syrup
- Tea bags
- Tissues**
- Toilet Paper**
- Toothbrushes** CRITICAL NEED
- Toothpaste** CRITICAL NEED
