Ukulele Club raised $8500 for pancreatic cancer action network 

WVMS Ukulele Club Benefit Concert highlights the power that a community can have when people come together.

The WVMS Ukulele Club’s yearly mission transcends music making. Each year, the club sets a goal to raise money for a cancer organization that directly impacts members of our Warwick community. The Ukulele Club is now in its fifth year, and last Friday evening’s performance was its third Ukulele Club Benefit Concert.

The tradition began in 2021, after Mr. Peters’ mother was diagnosed with stage four neuroendocrine cancer. It was Mr. Peters’ students’ idea to raise money for a cause directly related to this diagnosis.

“It was so heartwarming to see such empathy and compassion from my students,” said Mr. Peters. “The first year of mom’s diagnosis was difficult to navigate, but it made it easier to see that we had the whole community supporting us.” 

That first year, 2021, the club was able to donate $6000 to the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation. They also donated $1500 worth of gifts to the Mt. Sinai Children’s Hospital. Seeing the community rally behind their music making ignited the club’s civic-mindedness, and the benefit concert tradition was born. they decided to continue each year. 

In 2022, the club raised more than $5500 for DKMS, an organization dedicated to ending blood cancers. In addition to the monetary donation, the community came together and the Ukulele Club was able to register 118 members of the Warwick community to the national bone marrow donation registry! 

This year’s benefit concert was in support of the Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Network, for whom the Ukulele Club raised $8500!

The WVMS Ukulele Club has grown to more than 80 members, each of whom share their gratitude with the many people who came together to make this year’s donation possible: Ukulele Club parents, Kristin Orthmann, Galloway Grill, The Vibe Cafe, Taco Hombre, Rusty Goat Grill, Chester Flagship Cinemas, Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark, Legoland, Skylands Ice World, Halligans, Dunkin’ Donuts, The Hudson Valley Renegades, Nickelodeon Universe, Crayola Experience, and Bear Mountain Ice Skating Rink.

A special thank you to the WVMS PTA, who helped with this year’s concert by providing outstanding audio and sound for the concert. An additional thank you to the middle school’s National Junior Honors Society for also donating to our cause. 

This truly was a school-wide and community-wide effort, and everyone donation is greatly appreciated. When a community comes together, amazing things can happen!