Hear Natalie Merchant perform with the Perkins Choir
"Thank you to all our guests for being so kind and generous"
The Perkins School for the Blind campus was shining brightly with good cheer on Thursday May 7th as friends gathered for the 2009 Perkins Possibilities Gala. Co-chairs Corinne Grousbeck and Jon Luther (of Dunkin’ Brands) greeted guests in Perkins' Museum for a pre-Gala cocktail hour and an opportunity to learn about Perkins and some of our programs.
Surprise musical guest Natalie Merchant brought gasps of delight from the crowd as she was introduced by student Leslie Gruette, who performed with Merchant along with the entire Secondary School Chorus. They began with the song “Wonder” which included a solo by student Michelle Smith. Merchant’s rendition of “Thank You” backed by the chorus received a standing ovation.
The Perkins Trio - Andy Park (accordion), Anton Sviridenko (violin) and John Castillo (baritone vocals) - performed a grand finale with Merchant that included a vocal duet with Merchant and Castillo on the dark and moving “Motherland.” The group was accompanied by Livingston Taylor on guitar and Brian Maes on piano. Another thunderous ovation brought the 600+ guests to their feet.
Students presented Merchant with flowers from the Thomas and Bessie Pappas Horticulture Center where the performer had visited that afternoon, saying it was “like a greenhouse I dream of having one day.” Merchant told the crowd she had been “a Helen Keller fanatic since I was in the third grade. You don’t know how thrilling my day has been.” She spoke for every guest. All in all, it was a warm and wonderful evening filled with laughter, goodwill and cheer.
WBZ-TV’s Lisa Hughes was the evening’s host, and the live auction was charged with energy thanks in no small part to WEEI Radio’s Glenn Ordway, who served as the auctioneer, assisted by Celtics Co-Owner and Perkins parent Wyc Grousbeck. The best part of the auction was that each item included something for Perkins students from the “Fashion Week and Fun” package that provides spa treatments to the Perkins girls attending this year’s prom to the “Celtics” package that includes tickets for 25 Perkins students and staff to attend a Celtics game next winter.
For the 5th year in a row, the Gala surpassed its fundraising goals – thanks in no small part to the generosity of donors who stepped up to meet a Technology Challenge and raised their hands high in the live auction – a total of $1.25 million was raised.
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