TROY — Three local students have been selected to sing in Europe through The Illinois Ambassadors of Music program and are seeking the community’s assistance with the funds needed to make the trip in 2025.
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Riley Hansen of Troy, Lyndsy Janning of Troy, and Becky Dumar of Marine have been chosen for this prestigious opportunity and are currently fundraising on GoFundMe to cover the costs. Their goal is to raise $30,000, or $10,000 per student, to fund the trip.
Hansen, who will be a senior at Triad High School in August, began her singing career in children’s choir and continued through elementary and high school. Janning, another rising senior at Triad, will be a Triad chamber choir and concert choir member this fall, along with some solo opportunities. Dumar recently graduated from high school and will attend McKendree University and plans to major in music. She has a decade of piano playing experience and has been a church singer since an early age.
The students will perform in England, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria as part of the program.
According to their mothers, Ginny Janning, Vali Jo Hansen, and Carrie Dumar, “This opportunity is something that could not be replicated on a self-guided trip and by traveling with fellow musicians, would provide an education through travel that could never be achieved in a classroom.”
Despite the honor of being nominated, the program does not provide funding, leaving each student responsible for financing the trip. The combined cost, including insurance and ancillary fees, is approximately $10,000 per student.
The mothers have organized fundraising events throughout the area this summer and fall in addition to the GoFundMe campaign. “We moms have teamed up in hopes of providing additional support to each of the girls in their effort to take part in this opportunity,” they stated. “However, we cannot do this alone and thus why we are reaching out to you. It takes a village to raise a child and we hope this village will help if they can.”
The fundraising will continue until the goal is met or until April 2025. For those interested in donating, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-our-girls-sing-across-europe.
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