‘Finding Home’: All Saints Students Produce Original CD to Benefit the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission

BAY CITY — What started out as a “good idea” nearly one year ago has become a full-length CD to benefit the local Good Samaritan Rescue Mission.

Students at All Saints Central High School recently finished production of “Finding Home,” a 30-minute CD that is a compilation of original music, poetry and testimonials meant to raise awareness of the issue of homelessness in the community and highlight the work of the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission.

“Our music ministry club met over the course of several weekends to write the music and lyrics,” said Maribeth Hopps, campus minister at All Saints Central. “Music is very important to these young people. The students are gifted and want to share their talents to benefit others.”

All of the music on the CD, including background arrangements, was composed by students. In addition, students penned original poetry and read testimonials written by guests of Good Samaritan Rescue Mission.

“The passion these students have for helping the homeless and the energy they have put into this project is outstanding,” said Marlene Ayotte Sajdak, development associate for the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission. “All Saints Central students and faculty, as well as all the schools in the (Bay Area Catholic Schools) system, support Good Samaritan Rescue Mission in big ways throughout the year. We are truly grateful for their help with fundraising and promoting awareness of homelessness in our area.”

“Finding Home” is on sale for $10 at Regina Caeli religious store in downtown Bay City. It also is available at All Saints; and plans are underway to sell it at schools and parishes in the community. The proceeds will benefit the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission at a time of year when donations are typically down, but needs usually go up.

“It was amazing to watch the students grow throughout this project,” Hopps said. “The day we went to the studio to record the music we also had lunch at the mission. The students got to meet one of the guests whose testimonial they read on the CD, it was very impactful.”

All Saints students hope their CD will help them raise money for the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission right away, as they are engaged in a friendly fundraising competition with students from Nouvel Catholic Central High School in Saginaw Township.

The two Catholic high schools are competing to see who can raise more money for the homeless before facing-off in the third annual “Hoops for the Homeless” basketball game at 7 p.m. on April 15 at Delta Community College. The event raised more than $18,000 in its first two years, and all funds go to support the work of the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission in Bay City and the City Rescue Mission of Saginaw.

“Finding Home” was produced by Reed Recording Studio in Bay City, which is owned by Andy Reed, a 1995 graduate of All Saints Central. Graphic designs were created by Alyssa Hopps, a 2004 graduate. The alumni donated their time to this project.