Iheart Radio-Reading Partners With Berks And Lehigh County Artists To Raise Funds For Real-Time Puerto Rico Relief Effort
On Sunday, November 12, 2017, Sarah Brugnoli and Raysa Rivera will be holding a fundraising event titled Rise Up Puerto Rico: A Night of Enchantment at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Ballroom in Wyomissing, PA to raise money for the real-time recovery efforts for the island of Puerto Rico. iHeart-Reading home of Rumba 92.3FM/1340AM, in Reading, PA, and Rumba 100.5FM, in Lancaster, PA recently became a partner for this fundraising event. The proceeds raised will be donated to the Maria: Puerto Rico Real-Time Recovery Fund that is organized by ConPRmetidos in partnership with the Foundation for Puerto Rico, Inc.
Communications are still scarce, and much of the population in Puerto Rico is still without power and clean running water. ConPRmetidos is committed to assessing the real-time needs in the island, repairing long-term structures, and restoring power as a service due to most of the power grid still being offline. 100% of donations to the fund will be used exclusively to provide long-term relief to the victims of Hurricane María in Puerto Rico.
The mission of ConPRmetidos is to connect people to foster commitment with the personal, social, and economic development of Puerto Rican communities, wherever they are. As one of the leading independent, non-partisan, non-profit economic empowerment NGOs in the island, no other time has ConPRmetidos’ mission been so relevant. Rise Up Puerto Rico will help ConPRmetidos power up Puerto Rico. Foundation for Puerto Rico, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to transform Puerto Rico into a destination for the world by driving economic and social development through sustainable strategies.
This is a cause that is near and dear to the heart of one of the hosts, Raysa Rivera, who is one of the female lead singers of the Philadelphia Funk Authority, and a Franklin & Marshall College alum. Having family in some of the devastated regions, Raysa, who hails from Vega Alta, Puerto Rico, has firsthand knowledge of the conditions in her hometown and has decided to take steps to help her beloved island. Sarah Brugnoli, lead female singer of Unusual Suspectz and Albright College alum, has always been community minded. She is a life member of the national service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega. When she saw the complete devastation of the island, she knew that something needed to be done. The two friends knew that they could combine their respective talents and create an event that will be both entertaining and educational. Sarah and Raysa have found incredible support from community members like Gabrielle Werner from the E3 Health and Wellness Center, among many others that have played a crucial role in making Rise Up Puerto Rico a reality.
The featured entertainment will be provided by the Lehigh Valley salsa band, Héctor Rosado y Su Orquesta Haché. Héctor Rosado, an accomplished percussionist, has toured with the best in the business. He has traveled nationwide, as well as world tours with music titans such as David Burne, Dave Valentine, and the legendary Tito Puente. In addition to performing, Héctor has recorded for Warner Bros. and had created tracks for “Video Jams” as seen on the BET Network. Héctor Rosado also composes music for bands and for soundtracks. He is involved with arranging and directing music for various Latin vocalists on a national level. When it comes to Latin Percussion, Héctor Rosado is the first name uttered from the lips of professional Latin musicians on the east coast of America.
The Night of Enchantment will be kicked off by Erich Cawalla’s Uptown Band, based in Berks County. Since the band’s inception during the Berks Jazz Fest 2006, The Uptown Band has become one of the busiest bands in the Northeast. With the release of their debut original album, “Waiting for Her,” and sophomore release, “Heart, Soul, Body, & Mind,” they have grown beyond their regional roots and have become known nationally and internationally. Stirring up an explosive, melodic, and grooving mix of Jazz, Funk, Rock, and Pop, The Uptown Band have headlined hundreds of shows and numerous charitable functions.
Tickets are $15 per person if bought prior to the event and $20 per person if purchased the day of the event. Doors open at 5:00pm, and the event runs from 5:00-9:00pm. For information on how to purchase tickets, please email [email protected].
