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(updated May 6)
Below is a current list of volunteer needs for the May 21-22 benefit concerts for Syrian refugees. Please contact us if you can help with anything listed below.
Alison Barkley, volunteer coordinator
e-mail: cabarkley at live.com
Michael Arnowitt, project coordinator
pianist
Montpelier, Vermont
e-mail: MA at MAPiano.com
web-site: www.MAPiano.com
telephone voice: 802-229-0984
mobile or texting: 802-498-3955
General categories of help
What do you like to do?
Research by computer
Research by asking around
Transportation
Reading
Publicity
Assisting Michael Arnowitt in person
Helping performers and other stage area help
Ushering and other front of house help
Technology and social media
Current tasks:
Advance work
Look up and collect together contact information for churches, synagogues, and other religious organizations in Burlington and Montpelier so Michael can send them a short notice announcing the event and requesting volunteer help
Need to research contact information of Burlington media (or request list from a sympathetic Burlington organization or person who has a good media list already compiled)
Proofing help comparing words in a computer file to a book
Proofing help looking over music Michael is creating for the instruments for obvious errors such as text obscuring notes, staff lines too close or too far from each other on the page layout, missing or misplaced page number headers, etc.
Transportation help for moving a harpsichord to one rehearsal in Burlington May 16 and the two concerts May 21 and 22
Find a super-reliable stage manager (for Burlington concert, we have one for the Montpelier concert)
People needed to help table at Montpelier Farmers Market May 7, 14, 21
Looking for prayers used in baqashot, a Syrian Jewish tradition
Find more examples of zajal (tradition of improvised poetry match with teams)
Find anything translated into English by Buhturi, 9th century writer
Michael needs help looking at Facebook pages of two women Syrians in the arts (contact him for details)
Help Michael make contact with South Burlington High School’s Coalition for Community Service - they did a Syrian Refugee Project recently and Michael would like to find an appropriate student to read at the concert a poem written by a young Syrian refugee
The below half-dozen names are Syrian women authors Michael would like to find examples of their writing:
Find anything translated into English by Maryana Marrash (poet 1848-1919 )
Find anything translated into English by Colette Khoury
Find anything translated into English by Najat Abdul Samad
Find anything translated into English by Ulfat Idilbi (born 1912)
Find anything translated into English by Samar Yazbek
Find out what year the artist/writer Khalil Younes was born
Find the book The House of Silence: Autobiographical Essays by Arab Women Writers, edited by Fadia Faqir
Find the book Opening the Gates: An Anthology of Arab Feminist Writing, edited by Margot Badran and Miriam Cooke
Find The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Vol. VI: The Middle East and Central Asia
Transcribe a poem of a refugee read on a youtube page I will provide you
Photocopy some literary excerpts in books Michael has and mail to performers
Scan in certain pages of literary excerpts from books Michael has bought and help him convert scans to words
Finding a refugee in the Burlington area who might write or has already written something about their experience of being a refugee and resettling in Vermont
Find out who is the staff person at New England Culinary Institute in charge of their community service program - suggest they make some Syrian food?
Research potential Burlington theater groups or individual actors to invite to organize the play scene segment of the program (Michael has some possible play scenes by Syrian authors in English translation)
Assisting with helping set up meetings of Michael with organizations he would like to get involved
Help Michael research potential performers
Help set up a way to receive donations electronically
Research what is the Vermont Council on World Affairs and could they be a promotional partner for the event?
Try to find a name actor to co-emcee with Michael, maybe do some of the literary readings
Try to find someone willing to audio/video record the concerts
Find a print shop willing to donate printing of flyers/posters
Find more volunteers (particularly in Burlington)
Day of Performance
Help with transporting/carrying in harpsichord (need van or a very large station wagon)
Ushering, handing out programs (particularly for Burlington performance)
Trustworthy volunteers to work front tables and take good care of money
Set up and clean up
Hospitality for performers on site
Stage hand work (for example, moving chairs around performance area, helping speakers with microphones, etc.)