Carbon School District Press Release
The Ambassadors for Hope Choir is an audition-placement choir for students in grades four through eight conducted by Mrs. Wendy Grant. The mission of the Hope Choir is to spread joy and hope through song, and the choir had its first official opportunity to do just that.
On Saturday, Nov. 19, Amanda McIntosh of the Southeast Utah Health Department as well as the HOPE Squad of Carbon, Emery and Grand Counties organized an event in honor of International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day (ISOSLD).
“ISOSLD is recognized every year across the world on Nov. 20,” McIntosh said. “[It] is an opportunity for families to come together with their unique connection to loss and be in a safe space to talk of their loved one. It’s a chance to check in with our loss community and support them wherever they are in their healing journey and provide resources as needed.”
Earlier this year, McIntosh heard about the choir and contacted Grant about performing at Hope Squad events this year. Grant said of the conversation with McIntosh, “Her favorite word is ‘Hope,’ and she loved the name of the choir from the start.”
The Ambassadors for Hope Choir performed three songs for the attendees at the luncheon: “Dream Big,” “What the World Needs Now” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World.” Each song was a message of hope and love.
Many attendees mentioned to Mrs. Grant that the choir performed marvelously. “I felt they sang from their hearts and sang like much-needed angels carrying healing in their voices,” agreed Grant.
When reflecting on the event, Grant said, “It was a touching event to be able to perform at the Survivors of Suicide Loss Day luncheon. After I lost my own son to suicide, I became very passionate about helping youth and our community in any way I could. I had a dream of putting a choir together that was based around hope and resilience. Through a grant from Four Corners Mental Health and the Carbon Care Coalition, based on the Why Try curriculum, that dream became a reality. I want the choir to be able to perform at events that will make a difference and touch lives and in turn bless the choir members and their families. Being able to perform at this event meant everything. I knew all of those in attendance personally and they were very touched and grateful for the choir’s performance.”
