Youth Orchestra Drums Up Support for Childhood Cancer Research [VIDEO]

The Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra honored St. Baldrick’s with their “World Español” performance.

On June 2, classical music and charity combined to create sweet music courtesy of the Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring youth through music.

The group donated the proceeds from their gift basket raffle to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Raffle tickets were sold at their “World Español” performance at the Fred Kavli Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

The Youth Orchestra is comprised of 250 students with ages ranging from 5 to 21 years old. Three orchestras, a brass quintet, a percussion ensemble, and a wind ensemble make up the group of talented young musicians.

The students volunteered to sell gift baskets at their “World Español” performance in order to raise money for childhood cancer research. Five gift baskets were raffled off with prizes that would satisfy everyone from sports fanatics to foodies to music lovers.

Students raffled gift baskets at the concert to raise money for pediatric oncology research.

One basket, called “Happy Father’s Day!”, retailed at nearly $300 and was stocked with rounds of golf, a golf cart for four at the Los Robles Greens Golf Course, and a $50 Outback Steakhouse gift card. An autograph from former L.A. Dodger and current manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks Kirk Gibson and $150 worth of Pampered Chef products were also among the goodies that were raffled off.

Through the raffle ticket sales, musicians, parents, and music lovers generously donated over $1,800 to St. Baldrick’s.

The Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra has been a longtime supporter of St. Baldrick’s. Last year, at their “Stage and Screen” concert at the Fred Kavli Theatre, the group sold more gift baskets and donated over $2,000to St. Baldrick’s.

“St. Baldrick’s is not about baskets,” said Bill Benson, the Youth Orchestra’s artistic director and conductor.  “It’s about children. It’s about cancer.” He dedicated a piece from the Steven Spielberg film E.T. to the children of St. Baldrick’s, explaining that, like children with cancer, E.T. the alien just wanted to return home.

Thank you, Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra, for doing your part to help children return home.

Want to host an event to raise money for childhood cancer research? We can help you get started.