Masonicare Idol!
Thank you to all who participated and supported the 2009 Masonicare Idol event. Masonicare Idol will return in 2011!
The Masonicare Idol fundraiser event helps The Masonic Charity Foundation of Connecticut provide for the greatest needs of residents and patients at Masonicare Heath Center, Masonicare at Newtown and Masonicare Home Health & Hospice when no other funding resources are available. Donors to the Quality of Life Funds can feel proud knowing that their gifts will directly impact Masonicare's residents and patients. Some examples of Quality of Life Fund purchases include: reading magnifiers, telemonitors, patient education workbooks and the patient transportation program at Masonicare Health Center. These are only a few of the important purchases made through the Quality of Life Funds.
On May 16, 2009, an audience of over 300 poured into the Hartog Activities Center at Ashlar Village in Wallingford to witness the crowning of the 2009 Masonicare Idol. Proceeds from the singing competition totaled over $45,000.
Eleven finalists took part in the competition, with East Haven’s Pedro Garcia, the son of Masonicare Health Center CNA Dorcas Osorio, taking First Place honors with his powerful renditions of MercyMe’s “I Can Only Imagine” and Amy Grant’s “El Shaddai.”
Springfield’s Joseph Broadnax, brother of Masonicare Health Center CNA Tamiya Mitchell, was the Second Place winner. Woodstock’s Amanda Mancini, niece of Masonicare Home Health & Hospice RN Kim Phaneuf, was the Third Place winner.
The remaining finalists included Chelsea Boyd (Meriden, CT), Steve Daniels (Hamden, CT), Jim Dehls (Woodstock, CT), Rebekah DeVivo (Northford, CT), Denielle Hammonds (New Haven, CT), Brett Kaselouskas (Suffield, CT), Valerie Machnics (Naugatuck, CT), and Tyneka Wynne (Meriden, CT).
"The Masonicare Idol event was a very special day for the extended Masonicare family," said Stephen B. McPherson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Masonicare. "Pedro moved all of us with his inspirational music. But all of the contestants, their families and friends, and the volunteers deserve recognition for their outstanding talent and support of each other. The Masonicare spirit filled the Knapp Auditorium at Ashlar Village and stirred all of us present."
A DVD of this event is available. For more information, please contact Danielle Thibault at 679-5571 or dthibault@masonicare.org.
From left are News Channel 8's Desiree Fontaine, Emcee; Howard W. Orr, Chairman of the Masonicare Board of Trustees and Masonicare Idol Chairman; First Place winner Pedro Garcia; Second Place winner Joseph Broadnax; and Third Place winner Amanda Mancini.
From left, the Masonicare Idol judges: Betsy Anderson, Billy Cofrances, and Ken Ferris.
A capacity crowd at the Hartog Activities Center.
The 2009 Masonicare Idol winner, Pedro Garcia, performs.
