UPDATE (December 24th): $160 in Target Gift Cards and $50 in Safeway Gift Cards for each student arrived today for the Choir Students of Paradise High School along with the video clip from the concert!

The generosity of the Tigard community is inspiring. With the addition of tonight’s pass the hat contributions of $2,426.19, the total gift to Paradise on Thursday evening was at $5, 811.46. 

Then came Friday Morning…more contributions…we reached $6,004. Then the mystery envelope landed in my box…

Ten crisp $100 bills for Paradise!!! Anonymous donor!!! Whoever you are, THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Then came Saturday morning…more contributions…

We reached $7,202!!!

THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE GENEROSITY!!!

Best regards,

Mr. Hawthorne

Thank you to the following contributors to the Paradise High School Benefit that Tigard Choirs are sponsoring:

Dianne and Tom Hart
Adam and Kristina Smelley
Mark and Shelley Flannery
Brad and Debbie Avakian
Patricia Anderson
Leann and Richard O’Neill
Brian and Karen McKenney
Margaret and Jeff Kean
Doug and Barbara Burke
Denise Davidson
Kevin Brown
The Matheson Family
Evan Rubio
The Burris/Jackson Family
Shari Balcom
Michael Weizhandler
Robert and Wendy Hawthorne

Total so far: $1,525.00

All but two of the choir members at Paradise and all but a handful of faculty lost their homes in the Campfire in Paradise, California. If you can help as an individual, family or friend of Tigard Choirs, please send:

Target and Safeway Gift cards in the amount of $25 or greater, marked on the card for easy clarification or,

Debit/Visa Cards of $25 or greater or,

Checks of any amount made payable to Tigard Choir to be bundled together and converted into gift cards or,

Cash of $1 or more that can be bundled to purchase gift cards.

Deadline is December 20th at the 7 pm Concert in the Auditorium. We will pass the hat for final contributions to benefit the Paradise High School Choir and Faculty. All contributions will be boxed up and sent on December 21st to Mr. Shawn Howell of Paradise High School for distribution to the families in need.

Let’s raise a ton of money for these needy families!

Mr. Hawthorne

I have been blessed to be in touch with the choir director of Paradise High School. As you are aware from the news, Paradise was destroyed in the Camp Fire. Shawn Howell has a choir of 35. All but two lost their homes in the Camp Fire. Of the 50 faculty members, almost all lost their homes. Shawn fortunately lives outside of Paradise and was spared.

Shawn has suggested that gift cards to Target and Safeway would really help.

There is no postal service to Paradise right now. Would you consider sending gift cards to: Robert Hawthorne c/o Tigard High School, 9000 SW Durham Road, Tigard, OR 97224. Or, bring gift cards or cash to the December 20th Choir Concert at Deb Fennell Auditorium. Consider cards of $25, $50, $75, or $100 or more. Any cash given in any amount will be converted into gift cards.

We will forward all the cards from you and our benefit concert on December 20th to the Paradise High School Choir Director Shawn Howell to distribute to the choir and faculty members in need.

Pass the word to friends, colleagues, businesses, business partners and family.

Let’s raise a massive amount of money! Blessings!

Mr. Hawthorne