Sam Johnson Christchurch community advocate and volunteer extraordinaire Sam Johnson is urging hardworking members of the GLBT community to attend “The Concert”, a music event celebrating people who give their time up to help others. “The GLBT communities of NZ are some of our greatest and most dedicated volunteers,” the Young New Zealander of the Year for his work creating the Student Volunteer Army in the wake of the Canterbury quakes. “Twenty four of NZ's biggest and best artists are hitting Christchurch to play at The Concert, and it is important to our team that the GLBT community have the chance to come along for an amazing day out to celebrate their hard work.” Anyone can attend the event at AMI Stadium on Saturday by going to www.theconcert.co.nz to volunteer anytime in the next six months to receive a ticket, or by simply heading along on the day and pledging to volunteer at the gate. “The GLBT communities are very creative, so tapping into it and unlocking that creativity through volunteering will help transform our city into a more vibrant and exciting place to be,” Johnson says. “Why not get together and paint sparkles and bright colours on every grey ugly wall in central Christchurch and really make this city something different?” Johnson says there are about 100 reasons to attend, from the bands, to the bouncy castles and a soap soccer pitch, silent disco, gladiator wrestling and chilly bin. “The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Head of the Church of England, as one of our guest MCs,” he adds. “There is something wonderful about the head of the Church visiting an event that is fronted by a very openly gay guy (me), particularly given the marriage amendment act debate,” Johnson says. “Come and relax in the sun for a day and celebrate the awesomeness that is New Zealand.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 31st October 2012 - 11:26am