Courtesy Photo
By Ryan Finn
Reporter
Chi Omega and Kappa Omega Tau are hosting a concert tonight at Common Grounds featuring Christian singer Ellie Holcomb. Proceeds from the show will benefit the nonprofit organization Haiti Transformed.
The concert’s focus will be placed on Haiti Transformed’s mission of fighting poverty in Haiti, said Kiersten Shivers, Dallas junior and social chair for Chi Omega.
“All the ticket sales and the proceeds will go straight to this non-profit organization,” Shivers said. “It’s really to benefit that and we’re trying to keep ourselves behind the scenes as much as possible.”
KOT brought Chi Omega onboard for the concert, said Smith Getterman, Chi Omega’s adviser and Baylor’s assistant director of sustainability and special projects.
“This is something that KOT approached Chi Omega with,” Getterman said. “They knew that Chi Omega had previously been very successful in their nonprofit Make-A-Wish events they’ve had, and this was a great way for the two groups to use their resources to benefit a great organization.”
Getterman said the concert is not exclusively for Greeks and is open to anyone who wishes to attend.
Shivers said Holcomb came to Christmas on Fifth Street last year, which is how KOT was able to reach out to her for the event. Holcomb is friends with the founder of Haiti Transformed, which makes her involvement with the event even more special, Shivers said.
Haiti Transformed is a local organization that started about five years ago as earthquake relief following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Shivers said.
The natural disaster killed more than 200,000 people.
Shivers said after the rubble from the devastation was cleaned up, the organization expanded its focus to include community development. The organization raises money and sends teams to Haiti to equip some Haitians with resources necessary to fight poverty.
“The nonprofit organization will help with the poverty that they are living in, help them realize their strengths, use those strengths to find new jobs and to find jobs that will serve the Lord and spread the Gospel,” Shivers said.
Shivers said the organization’s main goal is to rebuild communities and help people realize that they have opportunities to change their circumstances.
While community development is the main goal of this organization, Shivers said it provides other options for reaching out to communities in Haiti.
“They’re also focused on sharing the Gospel and helping people realize not only the potential for themselves, but also the potential that they have to further the kingdom,” Shivers said.
Shivers said there has been a lot of excitement and buzz surrounding the event on social media, so the Greek organizations are expecting a good turnout.
“I’m hoping for a great turnout, we’ve had a lot of ticket sales so far, so we just want it to be as big as possible,” Shivers said. “It’s for a great cause, so I’m confident people will understand and see that.”
