Tidesmen chorus members and The Big Mess are performing in support of Afghanistan refugees.
The musicians have partnered with The Wiltshire Education Society to support two Afghan women attend Vancouver Island University.
Wiltshire society members learned about the family, originally from Afghanistan, but who moved and became refugees in Pakistan.
The family’s teenage girls were in danger because their father was a middle-level bureaucrat and feared repatriation back to Afghanistan. Society members had met the two girls’ older sister, who had been able to immigrate to the United States and then had transferred to Vancouver Island University to study.
She recently graduated and applied for and was granted her Canadian citizenship.
The society wanted to bring the whole family to Canada, but it proved too difficult.
“It was virtually impossible to bring the family in, but we did get permission to bring the sisters,” said Roy Sage, a member and past-president of the Nanaimo Tidesmen Chorus. “We were able to get student visas for the girls. They are doing really well at university.”
The two sisters arrived from Pakistan on Christmas Day in 2013.
“It was the first time they saw the sea. It was an incredible adventure for them,” said Sage.
The sisters are studying business administration at VIU and will graduate at the end of this year.
The society hopes to raise money through the concert and various other fundraising events to pay for the sisters’ tuition, other education costs and living expenses.
“They are lovely and so smart,” said Sage. “They are really, really absolutely delightful young women.”
The Tidesmen formed in 1973 and has nearly 70 members. Over the years, the Tidesmen chorus has supported various community charities through fundraising efforts.
“It will be a great show. The Tidesmen look forward to it,” said Sage.
The Big Mess is the father son duo consisting of Marty and Kyle Shepard. Marty said the band likes partnering with the Tidesmen, especially for something they “believe in.”
“We like to use our music to do good things for people and make people happy,” said Kyle.
The concert is Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. at the Nanaimo Ecumenical Centre, located at 6234 Spartan Rd.
Tickets are $20 for adults and free for children under 16 and are available at Arbutus Music and The Quilted Duck, by calling 250-740-0058 or e-mailing tidesmen-benefit@wesociety.org. For more information please go to www.wesociety.org.
arts@nanaimobulletin.com
