Singer Sibel Thrasher at World Kindness Concert 2011 (photo by Ariane Colenbrander / @ariancdesign)
Earlier this week, I entered a contest run by my friend, Raul Pacheco (aka hummingbird604). The prize? A pair of VIP tickets to the 11th Annual World Kindness Concert in Vancouver on November 4th. The concert is the brainchild of Brock Tully, an individual known for his several bike trips around North America and, if he isn’t already known for his amazing moustache, he should be.
I hadn’t heard of the concert before Raul’s contest and didn’t know what to expect. It turned out to be 2.5 hours of some heartwarming music and incredible stories related to music, kindness and sharing from Vancouver and around the world. The music featured an ABBA Cover Band called ABRA Cadabra, whose members were key in producing this year’s event, and an array of singers from many different genres. The crown jewel of the evening was a song by Sharon, a young woman who became friends with Brock over the past year. She had been living on the street and has recently gotten herself sober and moved off the streets. Her song was incredible, very real – I had the chance to say hello after her set and her presence was remarkable.
The concert was great and I’m looking forward to attending next year. Moving into its second decade, the World Kindness Concert seems to have gained some new momentum – I wish Brock the best of luck and thank Raul for the opportunity to attend!