Lexington, Ky. - "I have rarely been surrounded by so many little people!" exclaimed Pearse Lyons. The founder and president of World Equestrian Games title sponsor Alltech was on hand at Blue Grass Airport when two dozen children from Haiti arrived in Lexington to participate in programming associated with the international equestrian event.
"The children are all aged between 7 and 12 years-old. I sat with them on the bus journey (from the airport to Southland Christian Church, where they will be staying) and all of them were giggling. I called one of the girls 'Ma ChÈrie,' which caused them all to break into hysterics," said the man who, in addition to throwing himself and his company behind the biggest sporting event in the United States in 2010, was so moved by the tragic aftermath of the major earthquake that rocked Haiti on January 12 that he flew to the Caribbean country to see for himself how his company's resources might be put to work to help survivors.
"I went there literally days after the event and then found the village and the school, which we adopted.
The kids sang for me and it seemed like they were singing all day; it was fantastic," he recalled.
The results of that trip and discovery include "Haitian Harmony," the touring choir of children from the
Centre Educatif l'Union des Coeurs in Ouanaminthe, Haiti who have now begun nothing short of an odyssey as they acclimate to their surroundings in a place called Lexington, Kentucky, so far from all that is familiar to them.
"I can't begin to tell you how difficult it was to work with children with no social security numbers, no birth certificates; getting visas and passports," said Lyons. "We even had Senator McConnell writing to the Government in Haiti saying we needed help.
Lo and behold, with his help, we - our dedicated colleagues and I and some able bodies we came upon down there - were able to make it happen."
The choir will tour Kentucky, acting as ambassadors for and raising awareness of Haiti, the poorest nation in the western hemisphere, according to an Alltech press release. The philosophy behind the formation of the choir, the release noted, is to provide the boys and girls from Ouanaminthe with the best education for a better future. The program was inspired by "El Sistema", a youth outreach program that brings musical education to some of the world's most underprivileged children. The children will perform their repertoire of songs in Creole, French and English.
Trained by Professor of Voice and Director of Opera at the University of Kentucky Dr. Everett McCorvey, Eric Brown, the first winner of the Alltech vocal scholarship competition, and fellow UK voice graduate student Manuel Castillo, the children will appear at the opening ceremonies of the Games on Saturday, and again in concert with Ireland's renowned Chieftans at the Singletary Center for the Arts on Oct. 4.
"This has been a tremendous, life-changing voyage, not just for the children, but for everyone here at Alltech," said Lyons
Proceeds from sales tickets to Haitian Harmony events, which can be purchased online at http://www.singletarytickets.com, will support Alltech's efforts in Haiti.