Imagine if you never saw darkness. Imagine if you never heard quiet.
Many of us here take these things for granted. They’re a world away from kids who live in The Bronx.
A group of 15 Bronx kids ages 11 to 18 will be brought to Ulster County with their musical instruments for five days at the end of July. They are part of Renaissance Youth Center, an after-school program in the South Bronx. Their musical talent has taken them to many areas, including Carnegie Hall, the United Nations and Yankee Stadium.
For the past five years, they have performed in concerts at Davis Park in Olive. This year, they will also be at Andy Lee Field in Woodstock. Admission to each is free. Bring a chair or a blanket.
The Olive concert is on Thursday July 31 at 6 p.m. at Davis Park in West Shokan.
The Woodstock concert is on Friday, August 1 at 6 p.m. at Andy Lee Field (in case of rain, inside the Community Center). Free ice cream at the Woodstock concert for everyone under 13.
The joy and happiness the youngsters show when they perform is contagious. Jim Sofranko, town supervisor of Olive, heard them play at a house concert the first year they were brought here by longtime supporters Howard and Carol Altarescu. Looking for events to bring the community together and finding his experiences with the kids inspirational and exceptional, Jim invited them to perform at Davis Park.
They have been warmly embraced by the community ever since. Jim has been happy to see grandchildren of generations of residents dancing and enjoying the music along with newer residents getting a chance to meet their neighbors on a summer evening.
Renaissance has been helping at-risk kids in the Bronx for 25 years. Bervin Harris, the CEO and co-founder, has been the engine that makes everything work. The core mission is to open doors and show kids opportunities while mentoring and providing academic enrichment and social development as well as accountability, responsibility and discipline.
Renaissance also offers a robust STEM program, allowing kids to learn coding, robotics, zoology, and other subjects. The program participants have a close to 100 percent graduation rate from high school. All graduates this year are going to college. It is an example of everything one can hope for in school programs.
Join the family! 
