Kelowna

It started as an idea among friends. It ended up raising thousand for the Haiti Relief effort.

The 'Helping Hands for Haiti' concert at the Kelowna Community Theatre raised $35,000 for the Red Cross relief campaign for Haiti.

The amount will be doubled by the federal government's pledge to match funds turned over to recognized agencies, including the Red Cross.

"There were many very touching moments throughout the day when donations were presented, such as those from the students at Rutland Senior Secondary School, the seniors at Hawthorne Park, the staff at Save On Foods, the owners of Taj Cafe, and Westbank senior John Burke," says event organizer Greg Murphy.

"It was especially moving to hear the experiences of Al and Ev Hromek, who were in Haiti at the time of the earthquake, who were buried in the rubble, and were rescued by members of their church congregation."

Murphy's idea to hold a fundraising dance quickly mushroomed into a day long event at the community theatre.

More than 20 musical acts and groups took to the stage at the community theatre over the course of the event, which lasted more than nine hours.

"Through the power of music, and the caring of the community, more hope will be brought to the citizens of Haiti."