deSoL Shines at
Ossining MATTERS Benefit

Ossining MATTERS’ May 1 gala benefit concert featuring Latin rockers deSoL raised nearly $65,000, which the education foundation will use to supplement academic, cultural arts, and athletic programs in the Ossining School District.

Ossining Cultural Arts Director Bradley Morrison welcomed the crowd of about 400 to the seventh annual Spring Gala. Ossining MATTERS President Ginny Loughlin and Event Co-Chair Amy Seiden thanked the audience for attending and introduced the evening’s master of ceremonies, 107.1 The Peak deejay Bruce Figler.

Warning the crowd to “put on your seatbelts,” Figler enthusiastically introduced deSoL, who took the stage with a burst of energy that never flagged. Their obvious love of what they do was palpable throughout their performance. An early highlight of the evening came during an instrument-swapping number, when the band asked for a student volunteer to play the guitar, and the very talented Noah Weisbart answered the call. Two further peaks involved OHS musicians, too. Vocal students, calling themselves Kevin, James, Jason, and the Chicas, added glory to “On My Way,” and instrumentalists, dubbed the Equinox Horn Quartet, burned it up on “Chica de Miami.”  Students and even teachers were dancing in the aisles.

Following the concert, the party moved to the Ossining Public Library. deSoL stopped by to celebrate the evening’s success with Ossining MATTERS supporters, serenading the crowd with an a capella performance before joining them in sampling hors d’oeuvres and beverages donated by local restaurants and merchants. The reception featured both a silent and a live auction, conducted by crowd-pleasing auctioneer Ted Donson. Items ranging from exclusive Broadway evenings to artworks, fund-a-program opportunities, and more drew competitive – though always friendly – bidding. The auction receipts gave a considerable boost to the evening’s proceeds, helping to ensure that Ossining MATTERS Education Foundation will continue to be able to fund a broad range of programs meeting a wide variety of student needs and interests throughout the Ossining School District.

Once again, those who couldn’t attend the concert or reception – or just didn’t want to stop bidding – had another chance to further the mission of Ossining MATTERS, as this year’s online auction remained open through May 10. Supporters were able to bid on scores of items, from dinners at terrific local restaurants, salon and spa services, and music lessons to sporting event tickets, house seats at Broadway shows, private Hudson cruises, and special outings with Ossining teachers.

Ossining MATTERS is very grateful to all who contributed to the evening, whether by attending the concert, bidding at the auctions, donating items for the auction and reception, posting signs around town, or lending a hand in any of the dozens of other ways that helped make the gala such a success. Thanks to our community’s generosity, Ossining MATTERS will continue to make a positive difference in the education of Ossining's students.