Vincent Massey Collegiate to take part in Just For Kids Voices 2022 fundraising concert in support of Mental Health-
![vmc voices](https://az184419.vo.msecnd.net/emsb/MediaGroupings/496/vmc-singing.png)
The Vincent Massey Collegiate (VMC) “Clef Notes” will be singing for a good cause on Sunday, April 10 at the Just for Kids Foundation Voices 2022 concert at John Rennie High School’s Louise Chalmers Theatre (501, boul St. Jean in Pointe-Claire). This annual singing and fundraising event, to kick off at 3 pm, raises mental health awareness and funds for the Montreal Children’s Hospital.
This year, money raised will be directed towards a handful of initiatives, including improving mental health resources at the Children’s through the funding of a social worker specializing in mental health for the Emergency Department. Last year’s virtual event raised over $43,000 for the cause.
The competition, whose theme this year is “Songs of Hope,” features 48 students across seven Montreal-area schools competing for the title of best solo, duo, and group performance. The student singers will be judged by a renowned panel of music industry professionals, including The Beat 92.5 FM’s Mark Bergman and Catherine Verdon-Diamond, & Jason Rockman of CHOM 97.7 FM. Prizes will be awarded to the musical winners as well as to the top fundraisers.
VMC’s Clef Notes, the English Montreal School Board’s (EMSB) lone representative at the event, have been rehearsing for their moment in the spotlight for over two months, under the supervision of their teacher Alessandra Martoccia. The team of eight students prepared three performances for the competition: duets by August Di Liello and Charlotte Renaud and Anaïs Comte and Julianna Di Natale; as well as a quartet performance featuring Jessie Ghougassian, Amanda Da Silva, Maya Wagner-Vanamala & Yasmeen Miguel Page. VMC is looking to build on their competition victory of November 2019, the last time the event was held in-person.
The Clef Notes have already surpassed their initial fundraising goal this year of $2,000 and are looking to add to their total. Over their many years participating in the event, the school has raised over $30,000 for the Just for Kids Foundation.
“We constantly emphasize to our students the importance of supporting charitable endeavors such as the Just for Kids Foundation Voices fundraising concert,” said Martoccia. “Most of our students are fortunate not to ever require the services of the Montreal Children’s Hospital. Nevertheless, it is critical to support those students that do.”
Tickets to Voices 2022 are available for purchase online at jfk.akaraisin.com/ui/jfkvoices/store/start. All tickets (General Admission) cost $25, with a tax receipt issued for all purchases. To donate to the Vincent Massey Clef Notes, please visit jfk.akaraisin.com/ui/jfkvoices/t/VMC.
About the Just For Kids Foundation
Just For Kids raises funds to purchase high-priority medical equipment, and to support initiatives that improve the quality of care for patients of the Montreal Children’s Hospital. Over the last 25 years, JFK has purchased over $12 million worth of equipment, touching almost every department at the Hospital. More than 250,000 children and 1,500 healthcare professionals have benefited from the funds raised over the last quarter-century.
About the English Montreal School Board
With a youth and adult sector population of more than 35,000 students, the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) is the largest English public school board in Quebec. Established on July 1, 1998, when the province created new boards along linguistic lines, the EMSB network consists of 77 schools and centres. For more details, visit the EMSB website at www.emsb.qc.ca.