On Friday, October 12th, Amador student Shruthi Chandran (‘19) hosted “A New Hope”, a musical fundraiser for Tri-Valley Haven at the Pleasanton Senior Center.

The event showcased the talents of students from Amador, Foothill, as well as across the Bay Area. Some of the groups that performed were the Music For Change Club, Tri-Valley Music Honor Society, members of the Amador drumline, and an Indian Classical music ensemble.

“As a performer, I was thrilled to be able to participate at the event. It was a wonderful reminder of the community and I’m incredibly glad I got to help in any way I could,” said Nikhita Prabhu (‘20), a member of Music For Change.

Although the event was held in October, it took four months of planning and organizing to find an organization to raise money for as well as to get performers and a venue.

“I’ve actually wanted to put on an event that benefits the community somehow for a really long time, but I’ve just never known how or where to start. But looking at today’s political and social climate, I think that it is especially important to support women and those who have suffered from abuse. From there, I started looking at local non-profit organizations that gave aid to these groups, and Tri-Valley Haven was a perfect fit,” said Shruthi Chandran (‘19).

Two guest speakers came to speak about Tri-Valley Haven and to encourage people to donate. Assembly woman, Catharine Baker has worked very closely and has always been a huge supporter of the organization and their mission. Lynne Menon, a representative from Tri-Valley Haven, said a few words about the group itself as well as what it does.

Initially the goal was to raise $1,000, but it was increased to $5,000 at the encouragement of Shruthi’s friends and family. By the end of the night of the fundraiser, the total amount raised came to about $6,000, exceeding both goals.

“I think that there are two messages that I wanted people to take away from the event: One being the importance of organizations such as Tri-Valley Haven in the community. The shelter and services they provide are invaluable, and they greatly deserve the recognition and the money. I think that people often forget that there are residents in a community such as Pleasanton that greatly need the help that Tri-Valley provides. The second was that the whole show was run by high school students. I organized it, and every single one of the performers were in high school. I think that just goes to show the power we have, and the ability we have to create change if we really want to,” said Chandran.  

In the end, “A New Hope” succeeded in bringing different community members together not only to celebrate music, but to also support and learn more about a significant organization that’s based in the area.