Donations Continue To Come In For ‘American Picnic’

By Shannon Hicks

Almost as quickly as the financial donations from people across the country began pouring in to the Red Cross and other organizations to help those affected by the events in this country on September 11, 2001, promises of goods and services to make “An American Picnic” have also started to pick up momentum for organizer Jackie Gaudet. Ms Gaudet is planning a special event for Saturday, November 17, at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown. The evening will be both a remembrance and celebration of the American spirit and a benefit for the children and families of Cantor-Fitzgerald, a firm that had offices at the World Trade Center in New York City.

“An American Picnic” will run from 6 to 10 pm. It will offer music, dance, and singing by local professional and amateur musicians, light refreshments, and a silent auction. Suggested donation is $20 for adults, $10 for children, with family rates available. Families, couples, and singles are all welcome. Attendees can pack a picnic dinner (BYOB), although light refreshments will also be available during the evening.

During the past week, Galerie Van-Os owners Ann and John Osborn have contacted Ms Gaudet to confirm the donation of a framed poster of the New York skyline. Bethel Arts Junction member artist Ginny Fisher is adding a mosaic print to the silent auction. Ms Fisher’s work presents the New York skyline with “ghosted images,” says Ms Gaudet, of the Twin Towers and The Statue of Liberty.

Professional photographer Curt Gilbert also contacted Ms Gaudet about donating a photograph, and Gladys Boalt, who has had her work accepted into the White House permanent collection, will be donating a collectible ornament.

Previously-announced artists include painters Pat Barkman, Betty Christensen, Isabelle Forbes, Pieter Lefferts, Ruth Newquist, and Matthew Roe; photographers David Anderson, Shannon Hicks, Melissa Landin, Joanne Lefferts, and John Slaney; craft artist Suzanne Melillo, who is creating a red, white, and blue theme wreath; quilters Mary Gaudet-Wilson and Diane Vanderkrof; Petal Pushers owner Karen Murphy; and the Sandy Hook antiques store The Mill.

“You wouldn’t believe the things that are coming in,” Ms Gaudet said this week. “It’s been wonderful.”

Ms Gaudet is counting on friends and students for much of the musical portion of the evening. The performances will begin at 7, and will feature some of the area’s best professional, semiprofessional, and student singers and dancers.

Joe Jacovino, the accompanist of Connecticut Master Chorale and organist and choir director at St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, will be the evening’s accompanist. Ms Gaudet’s friends also include the singers Brianne Chasanoff, Mike Forbes, Seth Lefferts, Cheryl Lichtenstein, Tom Sheehan, and the drummer Bobby Leonard.

A number of students of Newtown Music Studio, which is owned by Ms Gaudet, will be performing. Among them are Clare Archer, Diana Curcuruto, Samantha Davies, Shannon Kohn, Jeff Jackson, Sherry Langrock, Stephanie Paproski, Lauren Poppe, Sydney Russell, and Adriane Yeager. Sheila O’Connor will be performing on clarinet.

Pamela Hoffman, who sings with New York City Opera and teaches voice, will be participating. So will a number of her students, among them Tom Sheehan, Mike Forbes, Erica Tsacoyeanes, Meggie Brown, and Maura Lucking. Singer Anne Squire, another of Ms Hoffman’s students, has also been confirmed.

Dancer Jennifer Turey has been in touch with Ms Gaudet. Ms Turey is the owner of Dance, Etc, a dance and gymnastics studio in Newtown. She will be involved in two pieces, the choreography of one and the performance of another. In one performance, Erica Villodas and Katie Aiello will offer a dance choreographed by Ms Turey (which will be performed to the vocals of Samantha Davies). For her second involvement, Ms Turey will choreograph and perform a patriotic tap duet with Emily Cieniawa.

A rehearsal will be held at Newtown Meeting House this weekend. Sherry Paisley, the facility administrator of the historic building on Main Street, has told Ms Gaudet that the performers for “American Picnic” can use the building for a few hours. Also, Peter Creighton of Westport-Fairfield Piano has donated the use of a piano for November 17.

Eli Lefferts, who works at East Coast Sound in Danbury, has promised to donate the use of a sound system. Additionally, Ms Gaudet has been counting on a trio of ladies for a lot of the behind-the-scenes work that will make next weekend a success. Debbie Archer, Judy Crane, and Linda Davies have been “key helpers,” Ms Gaudet said, in putting together the programs, decorations, pasting up fliers, and coordinating the art auction for “An American Picnic.”

Ms Gaudet has promised to forward all money collected through “An American Picnic” to the Cantor-Fitzgerald Relief Fund. In response to what happened on September 11, Cantor-Fitzgerald has set up the fund to provide emergency short-term financial assistance for the families of the victims, as well as ongoing assistance for childcare, college tuition, and long-term health care in the months and years ahead. The company had offices on Floors 101, 103, 104, and 105 and employed approximately 1,000 people at One World Trade Center, 700 of whom were killed in the terrorist attack. Cantor-Fitzgerald International (and eSpeed International, a partner company of Cantor-Fitzgerald that operates multiple buyer/multiple seller real-time electronic marketplaces) is a financial services firm that specializes in treasury bond brokerage.

For additional information, contact Newtown Music Studio at 270-8915.