By SANDRA BRANDS

TROY (New York State) - Elisabeth Von Trapp often says, "If you fill the (concert) hall with people, I'll fill it with the sound of music."


After all, the sound of music is a family tradition for her. She is the grand-daughter of Capt Georg Von Trapp and daughter of Werner, known as "Kurt" in "The Sound of Music" movie and musical about the Von Trapp Family Singers.


Music is not the only tradition Ms Von Trapp continues. She also keeps alive the Von Trapp tradition of raising money for relief efforts.


While it is not surprising that the Von Trapp Family Singers are well known in Austria, it is surprising to learn it is not because Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer starred in a movie about them, or that Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote a musical based on their lives.

No, the Von Trapps are remembered for their legacy of faith and their charity work as much as for their music. After the family moved to the United States and following the end of World War II in Europe, the Von Trapp Family Singers ended each performance by collecting money for Austrian Relief.


Ms Elisabeth Von Trapp (right) and her accompanist, cellist Erick Kory,
performing at First United Methodist Church in Burlington, Vermont.
- United Methodist News Service picture.

Ms Von Trapp said that one of the things that struck her as a child was how hard the family worked to help others.


"My grandfather's job was to gather up all the relief donations and ship them off" to Europe before the family drove to the site of the next performance.


So it was natural that when Hurricane Katrina struck, Ms Von Trapp would follow in her family's footsteps. She has been helping to raise money for hurricane relief by performing benefit concerts throughout the country. In mid-March, she and accompanist Erick Kory performed to more than 150 people at the First United Methodist Church in Burlington, Vermont, and raised US$2,000 (S$3,300).


The money will be used to support First United's sister church, Dantzler Memorial United Methodist Church in Moss Point, Mississippi.


Dantzler Memorial has become home base for many "Volunteer In Mission" teams working in the Gulf Coast disaster area. The congregation installed showers, and classrooms now double as dorms. Once a week, the congregation serves a meal to the volunteers staying with them. Typically, the Moss Point church houses 100 to 110 volunteers a week.


The connection between First Church in Burlington and Dantzler Memorial in Moss Point is an outgrowth of the sister relationship developed between the cities of Burlington and Moss Point.


"The mayor of Burlington, Mr Peter Clavelle, had issued a challenge to all Vermont schools, businesses, churches and other organisations to assist the people of Moss Point," said Mr Ed Hall, Ms Von Trapp's husband.


They live near Burlington, and when they contacted First Church about holding a benefit concert there, the church was very interested. The concert became the latest in a string of benefits that Ms Von Trapp has given since Hurricane Katrina. Last October, she performed at Dantzler Memorial.


A full-time musician, Ms Von Trapp has recorded several CDs, most recently an album of sacred music. In concerts, her diverse repertoire includes such songs from the musical as "Edelweiss" and "My Favourite Things". - United Methodist News Service.

Sandra Brands is Director of Communications for the United Methodist Church's Troy Annual Conference.

QUOTE:

A full-time musician, Ms Von Trapp
has recorded several CDs, most recently
an album of sacred music.