OUR 5th ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT/PROGRAM IN 2013 WAS HELD IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE SOUTH CALCUTTA UNITED CHRISTIAN MINORITY WELFARE SOCIETY ON DECEMBER 21 AT OUR SCHOOL GROUNDS.
TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THIS CHRISTMAS CONCERT, WE COMPLETED A TIE-UP WITH SISTER FLORENCE SCHOOL OF NURSING IN CALCUTTA. NURSES FROM THIS SCHOOL CAME AND CONDUCTED A CHECK UP OF ALL OUR STUDENTS SPREAD OVER 3 DAYS. THEY ALSO HAD AN HOUR-LONG SEMINAR WITH PARENTS, GUARDIANS AND TEACHERS ON HEALTH-CARE AND HYGIENE
Nurses explaining basic health issues to students, parents, guardians and teachers
PREPARATIONS FOR THE CHRISTMAS CONCERT
For the first time, we were able to provide/distribute bicycles to poor and needy students of our community
Blankets stocked for free distribution
Teachers preparing food boxes for distribution of snacks to children after the Concert
Dev welcoming the gathering at the Concert
Prof. Maria Fernandes, Vice-Chairperson, State Minorities Commission and Chief Guest for the Concert
For the first time, we invited local Christian Churches and groups to perform during our Concert
Sacred Heart Church Choir presenting Christmas carols in Bengali-with traditional Indian musical instruments-tabla (percussion) and harmonium (one-hand keyboard)
We had over 400 people attend our Christmas Concert
Prof. Maria Fernandes addressing the gathering
Dolon, a student of Hope Education Centre receiving the first bicycle-a first from the Hope Home Calcutta
The Nepali students of our school singing Christmas carols in Nepali
Kindergarten students performing a dance-the haze is from a 'smoke'machine...(special effects :-)
Girls from Adarsh Church singing carols
Ruth , Rosni and Ranjit playing carols on the violin
Payel and her dance team...
ONE OF THE STAR ATTRACTIONS FOR THE EVENING WAS A DANCE RECITAL BY STUDENTS OF D.F.BLIND SCHOOL. I have personally never seen blind students perform a choreographed dance sequence...absolutely superb!
Another attraction was the songs and dance presentation by the Bengali group of the Assemblies of God Church Calcutta. They did a DANDIYA DANCE - a typical Gujrati stick dance- to the tune of a famous Christmas carol...another first most of us have ever seen!!
Babita Peters from the Assemblies of God Church was our Special Guest Soloist. She has recently produced an audio CD of Christian contemporary songs and performed 5 songs for us
THIS WAS ONE OF THE BEST PROGRAMS PRODUCED BY THE HOPE HOME CALCUTTA AND THE HOPE EDUCATION CENTRE AND WAS WIDELY ACCLAIMED BY ALL THOSE WHO ATTENDED.
WE WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE-BESIDES THE BICYCLES, BLANKETS AND SAREES TO OVER 80 POOR AND NEEDY PEOPLE FROM OUR VICINITY. ALL THE CHILDREN WORKED VERY HARD TO DECORATE OUR PREMISES AND THE DECORATORS (HIRED) AND ELECTRICIANS MADE THE WHOLE SURROUNDINGS LOOK BEAUTIFUL!!
