What started out as a tentative approach to bringing Chamber Music to Utila has grown into a beautiful example of community. Over FIFTY, yes FIFTY businesses have donated more than 80 prizes, time, lodging, food, funds, personnel and so much more to bring an octet, all members from the Honduran National Philharmonic Orchestra, to Utila to play free concerts all around the island.
David Araya (solo clarinet in the YouTube video below) wanted to come with to Utila to play for free around the island. He made a post on one of the Utila community facebook pages, and Tony & I piped up immediately saying “We would love you to come!”… and that’s how the story began, with one and it turned into a community of supporters!
We thought about having a raffle to raise funds to bring David here with a quartet. With the outpouring of charity of so many businesses in Utila and even from the mainland, it was clear that we could bring an octet from the Honduran National Philharmonic to Utila. Not only could we bring an octet here, businesses started to offer:
Free transportation for the group:
Hedman Alas provided round-trip transportation on the mainland. And two bus tickets anywhere in Honduras, for the raffle. (Approximate cost of donation = $620)
http://www.hedmanalas.com/
Utila Princess ferry offered round-trip transportation from La Ceiba to Utila and back. (Approx. Value = $432)
http://www.utilaprincess.com/
Free Lodging for the group:
Colibri Hill Resort http://www.colibri-resort.com/
Laguna Vista https://www.flipkey.com/utila-condo-rentals/p268525/
Chez Milady https://www.flipkey.com/utila-condo-rentals/p413659/
Free Meals for the group:
El Castillo Restaurant: http://www.colibri-resort.com/
Camilla’s Bakery/Pizza Nut – Located on the Main Road by the Point
Mango Inn Bar & Grill: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mango-Inn-Bar-Grill
Jungle Café: http://utilaguru.com/
Neptune’s Restaurant: http://www.coralbeachvillage.com/Bar-Restaurant.asp
Then all the businesses starting offering prizes for the raffle to raise money for the rest of the expenses. The finances from the weekend are still being finalized but it seems that there is still more than 10,000 lps left to bring the group back soon!
If you missed it, here are a few YouTube videos from their recitals:
El Castillo: http://youtu.be/fbzQsHZWIm0
Jungle Café: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcIHFRIXiGI
Children’s Concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXN4ESi7gIQ
Neptune’s: http://youtu.be/xs4CcsVVxcY
Where else in the world can you find a community that bands together like Utila to bring more beauty to her island? Not many places I’m guessing.
Special thanks go to:
Naomi Jackson from the HotSpot Café and Tourist Information Center for volunteering to sell refreshments during the concerts! Which probably turned out to be a lot more work than she anticipated!
JJ King and Eric Johnson for helping with the sound system so everyone could enjoy the concert.
Victor Lobo and the youth group for helping with the set-up and children’s concert and providing the kids with a little snack!
Lisa Barry, Monica Perez and all those who helped sell tickets.
All the sponsors and volunteers who helped make this happen!
And all of you who purchased tickets for the raffle and who attended the recitals.
A round of applause goes to Utila! And to the wonderful orchestra! Thank you all it was an amazing community effort!
Prize Sponsors:
| Altons Dive Centre |
| Babalu |
| Bay Islands College of Diving |
| John The Breadman |
|
| Bush’s Bay Island Charters |
| Bush’s Boxing & Fitness Gym |
| Bush’s Supermarket |
| Camilla’s Bakery/Pizza Nut |
| Captain Morgans |
|
| Caribbean Health Centre |
| Carlos Melgar – SUP |
| Che Pancho |
| Chez Milady |
| Reef Cinema |
| Coral View Resort |
| Driftwood Café |
| Ecomarine |
| El Castillo Restaurant |
| Fancy Fish Gallery |
|
| Float Utila |
| Foo King Wok |
| Free Dive Utila – Apnea Total |
| Fringe Salon |
| Fun In The Sun/Bodden Rentals |
| Hedman Alas |
| Hot Spot Café |
| Iguana Station |
| Island Air |
| Island Breeze Const. |
| Jungle Café |
| Lazy Daze |
| Mango Inn Bar & Grill |
| Mermaids |
| Multi Servicios Roney |
| Munchies Restaurant |
| Neptunes Restauran |
| Paradise Cove Bungalow – Destination Utila |
| Paradise Grocery |
| Parrots Dive Centre |
| Patricia Suarez Artist |
| Pizza Nut |
| PromoDias |
| Rapheal Fu Website Design |
| Rio Coco |
| RJ’s Bar & Grill |
| Sharon Taylor – Utila Trade School |
| S. Taylor – Utila Trade School |
| Skid Row |
| Tranquila Bar |
| Tranquila Bar |
| Underwater Vision |
| Utila Dive Centre |
| Utila Tatoo |
| Utila Tea Cup |
| Utila Tourist Centre |
| WSORC – Whale Shark Oceanic & Research Center |
| Yoga Utila – Emma Malarkey |
Thank you to all the Orchestra Members:
Alejandro Paredes – 1st Violin
Julio López Wills – Viola
Daniel Andino – Cello
Geovanni Avila Villegas – 2nd Violin
Harold Daniel Villalta – Trumpet
Elmuth Raudales Garcia – Bassoon
Yonny Martinez – French Horn
Bryan Reyes – Clarinet
David Araya Calderon – Conductor, Clarinet
Organized by Tony Pacatte & Jo Krawec (Laguna Vista, The Gardens) and RE/MAX Agent Julie Shigetomi.
What started out as a tentative approach to bringing Chamber Music to Utila has grown into a beautiful example of community. Over FIFTY, yes FIFTY businesses have donated more than 70 prizes, time, lodging, food, funds, personnel and so much more to bring an octet from the Honduran National Philharmonic Orchestra to Utila to play free concerts all around the island.
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