Why this week is so important

The boys were having lots of fun on the 2019 European choir tour.

The North Star Boys’ Choir is hunkered down like everyone else. But we’re still singing. The boys have individual video voice lessons with Francis every week. And we’re still planning for (hopefully) a summer full of camps and a concert tour.

Our choir’s year-round program includes outings, overnights, concerts, camps, and national and international tours and competitions. The boys are trained not only for excellence in music, but also in old-fashioned manners and good behavior, as well as service and leadership. This well-rounded training helps prepare the boys for success at school, home, church, and in the community.

It takes a lot to make an organization like this go. And now more than ever, we need your support. The choir has a policy that we never turn away a boy because of an inability to pay. To give you an idea of what that means, here are some of the most common costs:

International tour for one boy: $3,200
US tour for one boy: $1,200
One year of tuition for a Viking Choir boy (touring choir): $950
One year of tuition for a Cadet Choir boy (training choir): $540
One year of tuition for a Music Magic boy (youngest choir): $315
One week at resident camp for a boy: $250
One week at day camp for a boy: $50
One polo shirt for a boy’s uniform: $20

Will you help the choir by making a donation during this state-wide week of giving (May 1-8)? If you have the means, you might even consider an amount to cover one of the above items for a boy. There are a few options for donating online:

1. Our PayPal Giving Fund page (https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/2272447). PayPal covers all the fees, so the choir receives 100% of your donation. (This is the same link as the yellow Donate button on this website.)

2. Our GiveMN page (https://www.givemn.org/organization/Northstarboyschoir/). GiveMN organizes and promotes the annual Give to the Max Day in November, as well as the Give at Home MN campaign going on this week (May 1-8). They take a small percentage of donations to fund their operations, but they have a bonus drawing every hour of their giving campaigns for organizations that received a donation during that hour. Plus a super-sized bonus drawing at the end of the day.

3. Your company’s giving site. A lot of companies match donations, so if you’d like to double your donation, that works for us! We’re a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, but if you can’t find North Star Boys’ Choir when you search your company’s giving site, email [email protected] and we’ll get the choir added.

When you support the choir, you’re not just helping this year’s group of boys; you are building and sustaining a legacy so future boys can experience the North Star Boys’ Choir for many years to come.

Thank you for your support and generosity, especially during this week of giving as we all work to get through this very challenging time together.

EDIT 5/8/20: We’ve also posted three elaborate dinner auctions, for up to 6 guests, prepared by Chef Stockwell and/or Chef Anderson. You can read the mouth-watering descriptions for these three dinners here:

• Peppercorn steak dinner: https://www.ebay.com/itm/184278203129
• Rack of lamb dinner: https://www.ebay.com/itm/184278213357
• Prime rib dinner: https://www.ebay.com/itm/184280750423

These are highly sought-after experiences each year and the bidding ends Friday night (5/8/20), with 100% of the winning bids going to the choir. So place your bid now and watch it closely.