On Sunday, March 15, join the Chippewa Valley Youth Symphony in song and the spirit of giving as the symphony teams up with Feed My People Food Bank, an Eau Claire-based hunger charity. “The free concert benefit is our way of giving back to the community through music, and primarily focusing on kids helping kids,” Katie Schmitz over at CVYS told us. The CVYS hopes to raise awareness of youth hunger in our communities – especially awareness of Feed My People Food Banks’ Weekend Kids’ Meals Program. Each week, Feed My People provides bags of food for about 1,800 preschool, elementary, and middle school students through the program. The youth symphony had a visit from a representative of the Food Bank explaining the cause, and have already begun raising money for the Weekend Kids’ Meals Program through a penny war at rehearsals. At the concert, members of the youth symphony will encourage those attending to “give back” through food items or monetary donations to support the program. Last year, the CVYS raised $700 and more than 300 pounds of food. The theme of this year’s concert is the ever-mystical pairing of “Pirates and Dragons.”

Chippewa Valley Youth Symphony presents “Pirates and Dragons” • Sunday, Mar. 15, 3pm • Gantner Concert Hall, Haas Fine Arts Center, UW-Eau Claire • FREE • www.cvyouthsymphony.org