On June 25 at 4 p.m., six exceptionally accomplished young Ottawa musicians will present a classical music concert at MacKay United Church, 39 Dufferin Road in New Edinburgh (Ottawa), to raise funds for the Peaceful Children's Homes in Cambodia. The fund-raiser started as the idea of 13-year old violinist, Laurent Cote, who has enlisted five other exceptional young musicians trained in the Suzuki method on violin and cello: Isabella Gomez (11), Elaina Gauthier-Mamaril (13), Catherine Sirois-Delisle (14), Amelia Suddaby (15), and Gregory Weeks (16). Most of these young musicians are members of youth orchestras and have performed in the Young People's Concerts at the National Arts Centre with Pinchas Zukerman. The Canadian-born international concert pianist, Janina Fialkowska, is the Honorary Patron for the concert.

Why help Cambodia? In the 1990's, after more than a decade of war, Khmer Rouge atrocities and destruction, thousands of orphans, street children and unaccompanied minors returning from refugee camps were in need of survival assistance. In 1994, two prominent Cambodians, Son Sann and his son Son Soubert, provided land and basic facilities to set up the Peaceful Children's Homes in Kandal Province and in Battambang which now house almost 200 children between the ages of 3 and 18. Today, many of the children are victims of human trafficking or come from families affected by HIV-AIDS. They receive a warm environment in which to grow up, education (often leading to technical or university studies), and learn Buddhist ethics as well as responsibility. A recent country-wide evaluation gave a very high rating to the Peaceful Children's Homes for the education and training provided to the children, as well as for management.

Tickets ($15 for adults, $5 for children), which include the Concert, Refreshments and Silent Auction, can be purchased at "A Better Frame of Mind" (417 MacKay Street ) or at the door. Volunteers are welcome to assist the Organizing Committee, which is also looking for donations to the silent auction and food/drinks for the reception. All proceeds from the Concert will go directly to the Homes, to be used in the area of greatest need, most likely toward achieving self-sufficiency in basic food, which in turn will allow the Homes to become self-sustainable over time and less dependent on outside support.

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