St. Matthew's Episcopal Church fundraiser to benefit outreach programs

From Alaska-

Get ready to jig and dance to live music—plus eat some great food and find some silent auction bargains at a fundraiser tonight, from 6 p.m. to midnight at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church on First Avenue.

It’s a joint effort to raise money for the church’s outreach programs in Fairbanks and Dancing with the Spirit, a program to teach guitar and fiddle to kids in the villages.

Dancing with the Spirit is a project to prevent suicide, drug and alcohol abuse by connecting youths and elders through music.

“In the old days, we fought tribal wars with arrowheads,” said the Rev. Trimble Gilbert in Arctic Village. “It’s a different type of war now—against drugs and alcohol. I believe we can win with music.”

Funding provides an opportunity for young people to experience music camps and school programs—plus have access to instruments. The program has begun with 10 villages: Tanana, Arctic Village, Beaver, Stevens Village, Eagle, Hughes, Minto, Chalkyitsik, and Venetie.

Dancing with the Spirit staff usually arrive on Sunday, teach Monday through Friday during the school day, and have a student concert, potlatch and fiddle dance on Friday night. Our unique style of teaching with color codes speeds up learning music tremendously. We also teach skin drumming—and encourage students to sing in their Native languages and learn traditional fiddle dances. As their feet stomp into the ground, they heal sorrows and build strong communities.

More here-

http://newsminer.com/bookmark/7356539-St-Matthew-s-Episcopal-Church-fundraiser-to-benefit-outreach-programs