The student organizers of the Lethbridge Has Talent Kids Help Phone fundraiser have chosen the final lineup of performers for their event, which takes place Saturday, Mar. 26 at the 1st Choice Savings Centre gymnasium.
The performers represent a varied selection of talented people from across southern Alberta. More than 90 people auditioned for 20 available spots in early March. The finalists are vying for cash prizes of $500 for first place, $250 for second place and $100 for third place.
A project of the 2011 Integrated Management Experience class at the University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge Has Talent aims to showcase the best of local talent for a good cause – Kids Help Phone.
In alphabetical order (based on last name, group name, or last name of first person in group), the performers are:
FeiFei Du -- Play Classical Guitar
Angelica Doucette -- Play Guitar and sing
Olivia Earl -- Sing
Tyrel Hawke -- Play Piano & Sing
Rio Ingrao -- Violin Solo
Elisha Landayan – Sing
Shalisa Liesch -- Play Guitar & Sing
Kassidy Marchuk -- Sing
Jill MacDougall -- Sing
Jared Megee -- Classical Cello
Yumeka Ogita -- Play Classical Piano
Jordan Ostrom -- Play Guitar and Sing
Amy Qian -- Play Classical Piano
Shocked Standards – Rock Band
Tristan Skretting -- Play Guitar and Sing Original Song
Mariya Soetaert -- Play Guitar and Sing Original Song
Rudy Stoesz, Ryan Parks, Alan Iwaasa, Max Chambers Dumont -- Quartet Singing
Kiana Unger -- Dancer
Haley Van Rijn -- Dancer
Kurt Young & Jamie Medicine Crane -- Traditional Native Dancing & Singing
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for Saturday's final performance, and the program begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students/seniors/children over 6. A Family Pass (three or more) is priced at $20. Tickets are available all week in the Markin Hall Atrium, University Hall Atrium and also at the door on the day of the show.
More than $5,000 in Silent Auction items are also available for bidding. Kids Help Phone is Canada's only bilingual, 24-hour, toll-free, confidential and anonymous phone and online counselling, referral and information service for children and youth.
In a typical year, more than 10,000 trained volunteers across the country help kids in need from almost 3,000 communities more than two million times.
Judges for the event include Brent Books, a morning radio host on Country 95.5 FM; Allison Hawkins, a musician, singer and news reporter at Global TV Lethbridge; Dory Rossiter, a CTV Lethbridge weather and community activity reporter. Quinn Ohler, a reporter and news anchor for Global TV Lethbridge, will serve as the event's host.
