By Mark Reidy
“To sing for those who cannot sing” was how organiser Maggie Box described the Battle of the Voices Contest held at the Infant Jesus parish in Morley last November.
The gathering, which put on show the singing talents of eleven courageous contestants before a small but enthusiastic crowd of parishioners and supporters, provided not only an afternoon of family entertainment, but also raised money for underprivileged families in India.
Battle of the Voices is the latest initiative of Mrs Box, who founded Mission Partners Morley in 1988 in response to the impoverished living conditions she witnessed during a trip to Sri Lanka in 1979.
Since this life-changing event, Mrs Box, along with her son, Matthew, and a team of supporters, has initiated and launched a variety of fundraising projects in an endeavour to support impoverished people in numerous countries.
“These are the people I refer to as those who cannot sing,” Mrs Box told The eRecord. “The people who live in poverty that nobody hears.”
Mrs Box said that the inaugural talent competition at Morley, where contestants performed two songs each, raised $600, but she recognises the potential communal and financial benefits that this type of event could generate.
“For me, it is in the parishes and overseas… a dual response.”
Mrs Box is hoping Battle of the Voices will provide a blueprint for other Catholic communities to embrace and to even develop into a broader event that could culminate in a parish versus parish competition, in which the winners of each parish would compete against one another in a grand finale.
“Not only would this achieve the community-building the Archbishop is referring to, both within and between parishes,” she said, “but money raised during the competitions would be used to assist projects in India.”
Mrs Box, who is willing to co-ordinate such an inter-parish event, is hopeful that the humble beginnings of the inaugural Morley competition will inspire other church communities to enthusiastically embrace the fundraising concept.
“From small acorns, great oak trees grow,” she proclaimed enthusiastically. “This tiny beginning will lead to bigger and better things – God willing.”
For more information on Mission Partners Morley or Battle of the Voices contests, contact Maggie Box on 08 9272 8263 or email margaretbox7@bigpond.com.