Wood’s Tea Co.

Wood’s Tea Co.

Benefit Concert Sun.

The Wood’ Tea Co. a Vermont-based Band that tours nationally, will offer an entertaining evening of music and comedy to help a worthwhile cause when they present a special concert this Sunday, Dec. 29 at 4 p.m. at the Warren Town Hall in Warren. The concert will be a fund-raiser for the Henriette Kutuka Memorial Fund, with all proceeds going towards food, medicine, and clothing for children in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Wood’s Tea Co. offers a mixture of lively folk, Celtic music, sea shanties, bluegrass, and dry New England humor. The award winning band known for their easy-going and witty rapport with their audiences as well as their powerful musicianship, recently played a return engagement at Lincoln Center and has also appeared at the Chautaqua Institute and on National Public Radio. Their touring schedule has brought them to over 40 states in the last year.

For the past year, the Wood’s Tea Co. has steadily been raising money for the Henriette Kutuka Memorial Fund (HKMF).

"We sometimes take a few moments at shows to mention the fund," says band-member Rusty Jacobs. "People have been very generous with donations and we’re glad we can do something to help out." In the past year the band has raised and donated over $7,000 for this cause.

South Burlington resident Patty Hallam is the organizer of efforts here in the states for the HKMF. A few years ago she met Baudouin Kutuka, a Congolese citizen who told her stories of the desperate situation in the DRC (Congo). She asked him what she could do to help.

At the time, Baudoin’s wife Masey ran a program for pregnant teens, teaching them to sew as an alternative to life on the streets and eventually helping them acquire their own sewing machines to pursue a livelihood. Baudouin said that much of the Congolese infrastructure had broken down during years of war. Along with food and medicine, there was a great need for clothing. His wife’s program could make use of any cloth in good shape that they could get.

Hallam wrote a short article for the local paper and ended up with several boxes of clothing being unpacked and distributed. Baudouin also began buying and delivering food and medicine to orphanages and feeding centers.

In July of 2001, the Kutuka’s nearly two-year-old daughter Henriette was diagnosed with malaria. She died of complications a short time afterwards. Baudouin, though badly shaken, continued his important work. When Hallam suggested creating a memorial fund for his daughter, he replied that it would be a good thing "if this can help to mobilize people to be attentive to the situation of children suffering in the DRC or any other developing country." The goal of this concert is to help that effort continue.

For more information about the concert call 496-9714. If you have questions about the Henriette Kutuka Memorial Fund call 658-2804. This concert is sponsored by The Warren Arts Committee, in conjunction with Dr. Farrell Collins.

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