It Starts With An Idea...
It was a cold, rainy September day, and Adam Brunetti, Jamel Williams, and Ricky Gramstorff were watching the YouTube sensation, "A Very Potter Musical" with a few friends. Suddenly, an idea popped up in Adam's head.
"Hey! Why don't we do a cover of 'Get Back to Hogwarts' at the Collage Concert?"
(For those of you who don't know, the Collage Concert is the last annual concert put on by the Woonsocket High School Music Department, which features the ensembles, as well as student acts.)
Jamel then mentioned he wanted to do some sort of benefit to help somebody in someway.
Ricky suggested something that was not receiving the attention it should.
And Adam said "What about autism?"
And thus, the Woonsocket High School Music Department Autism Benefit was born.
It took months of planning, blood, sweat, and many tears to put together a 3-hour variety show. At the end of the night, $3,300 had been raised!
A few months later, Adam received an email from Mary Farhoumand, the trio's contact at The Autism Project, stating that they had raised $10,000!!!
"Hey! Why don't we do a cover of 'Get Back to Hogwarts' at the Collage Concert?"
(For those of you who don't know, the Collage Concert is the last annual concert put on by the Woonsocket High School Music Department, which features the ensembles, as well as student acts.)
Jamel then mentioned he wanted to do some sort of benefit to help somebody in someway.
Ricky suggested something that was not receiving the attention it should.
And Adam said "What about autism?"
And thus, the Woonsocket High School Music Department Autism Benefit was born.
It took months of planning, blood, sweat, and many tears to put together a 3-hour variety show. At the end of the night, $3,300 had been raised!
A few months later, Adam received an email from Mary Farhoumand, the trio's contact at The Autism Project, stating that they had raised $10,000!!!
AN ANNUAL EVENT?
After the success of the Benefit, Jamel and Adam graduated from Woonsocket High School, and started college.
But college would not stop them from planning another Benefit! Due to personal reasons, Ricky unfortunately had stepped down, while Adam and Jamel began the path towards becoming an organization.
Now the Woonsocket Autism Benefit, Adam and Jamel decided to make the event an annual occurrence.
After a few months of preliminary planning, Adam and Jamel contacted Las Vegas Magician Garry Carson, and booked him for the performance. On March 7, 2012, Garry, his wife, Mihaela, and daughter, Shany, arrived in Woonsocket, for the "Magical Mystery Tour", a performance that he DONATED to us, in exchange for Corporate sponsorships. The show was amazing, and the Woonsocket Autism Benefit raised another $3,000 for the Autism Project of Rhode Island!
But college would not stop them from planning another Benefit! Due to personal reasons, Ricky unfortunately had stepped down, while Adam and Jamel began the path towards becoming an organization.
Now the Woonsocket Autism Benefit, Adam and Jamel decided to make the event an annual occurrence.
After a few months of preliminary planning, Adam and Jamel contacted Las Vegas Magician Garry Carson, and booked him for the performance. On March 7, 2012, Garry, his wife, Mihaela, and daughter, Shany, arrived in Woonsocket, for the "Magical Mystery Tour", a performance that he DONATED to us, in exchange for Corporate sponsorships. The show was amazing, and the Woonsocket Autism Benefit raised another $3,000 for the Autism Project of Rhode Island!
THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM
Officially returned to the organization, Ricky and Adam then went on to plan "Two Be Frank: A Night of Comedy", featuring Frank O'Donnell and Frank Santos Jr.
The event was a huge success, raising another $2,122 for the Scholarship Fund, started by The Autism Project of Rhode Island to help Woonsocket youth affected by autism to attend social skill classes and summer camp programs.
The event was a huge success, raising another $2,122 for the Scholarship Fund, started by The Autism Project of Rhode Island to help Woonsocket youth affected by autism to attend social skill classes and summer camp programs.
JUST FOR FUN
A decision was made to hold an event every November to raise a budget for the large show in April. Enter "Whose Line Is It Anyway?". This event featured Frank O'Donnell, Ebony Densmore, Andrew Guilbault, and Nick Bousquet, taking on the improv roles made famous by Colin Mochrie, Ryan Stiles, Wayne Brady, and Drew Carrey! Whose Line was held on Friday, November 16, and was a huge success. The 4th Annual Woonsocket Autism Benefit: Just For Fun, featuring Dave Kane was held on Friday, March 14, 2014, and raised yet another $2,400 for The Autism Project of Rhode Island.
5 YEARS OF SOLVING THE PUZZLE
5 years have passed since their story began, and Adam and Ricky could not have been more proud of what they had begun. To celebrate, the committee under Ricky's direction planned "The Roast of Adam Brunetti" hosted by Nick Bousquet, and together they made Adam cry (all in good fun of course!), and raised $191 to add to the budget for our April Event.
April saw Bruce Antone, Joseph Morse, and A Final Paradox performing on our stage! They put on an amazing show filled such incredible talent! And, not to mention, back-flips! Following April's event, the two chairmen formed the Board of Directors, and Brianna Tavares, Desiree Lacroix, and Sam Tondreau became the Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary, respectively. In September of 2015, the 5 Year Celebration Pasta Dinner came as an enormous success, and has propelled the organization on a new, and exciting path for its future. Stay tuned, as the story is far from over...
April saw Bruce Antone, Joseph Morse, and A Final Paradox performing on our stage! They put on an amazing show filled such incredible talent! And, not to mention, back-flips! Following April's event, the two chairmen formed the Board of Directors, and Brianna Tavares, Desiree Lacroix, and Sam Tondreau became the Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary, respectively. In September of 2015, the 5 Year Celebration Pasta Dinner came as an enormous success, and has propelled the organization on a new, and exciting path for its future. Stay tuned, as the story is far from over...
