by GERARD DEE

In a very literal sense, the People's Gospel Choir of Montreal is living up to its name. Though originally meant to signify the choir's desire to incorporate all kinds of people into the group, in recent years their name has also become synonymous with a desire to serve the community.

This Saturday, the choir will take on a very worthy cause, raising money for the children of the late Tammy Shaikh. The 35-year-old mother of four died last December during an altercation with her estranged husband, ex-football player Tommy Kane. The choir's director Kim Sherwood says they want to do their part to help her four children.

"You know too many stories happen here," says Sherwood, "and then you see it in the paper and you read it, and then a week later, life goes on as normal and people forget. But we thought, you know what, there's a trust fund for these children, and we're going to continue to help them."

The group has been helping out a lot since its inception in 1992. The 40-member choir now performs every September at St. James United Church to honour the memory of those who were lost during the events of 9/11 and to raise money for a local firefighter's organization. They also perform every year as part of the annual Taste of Nations event, where local chefs offer their best culinary delights at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel to raise money for Share the Warmth, an organization which, among other things, provides hot meals for public schools.

Sherwood hopes this Saturday's For the Children concert at St. George's Anglican Church, which will be dedicated to the memory of Tammy Shaikh, will have a galvanizing effect in the wider community.

"It sends a message that we as a ministry are not going to stand back and twiddle our thumbs. We're going to get involved where we're needed, to ease the pain. For the community itself, we hope that this can be a beginning. We have a large black community in Montreal and if people see that we're doing something for these children, then hopefully other people can start doing things as well."

At St. George's Anglican Church (1101 Stanley) on Saturday, March 27, 7pm, $20

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