Syrian refugee benefit in Winnipeg raised $15K, organizers say

A benefit concert to raise funds for Syrian refugees brought in enough money that organizers now feel they'll be able to sponsor another family, they say.

The concert at the Park Theatre on Tuesday night raised about $15,000 including ticket sales, a silent auction and donations made at the concert to a gofundme campaign, a news release from the South Osborne Syrian Refugee Initiative said. Before the concert, they said they hoped to raise $10,000 with the benefit.

The group originally planned to raise $60,000 to sponsor two families, but with that goal reached before the concert even started, they increased the goal to $90,000 so they can sponsor three families. Their gofundme page showed that with the benefit concert funds, they'd raised just under $73,000 by noon on Thursday.

"We're delighted with the results, and this is just the icing on the cake," Matthew Lawrence said in a news release, pointing out they've now raised almost half the money needed to sponsor a third family.

Close to 350 people attended the concert on Tuesday night, which featured The Bonaduces, Sweet Alibi and DJ Co-Op.

• South Osborne concert raises money to help bring Syrian families to Winnipeg