GALVESTON, Texas -  Students, faculty and friends of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston will all be stars at a benefit concert to raise money for St. Vincent's Clinic.

The annual event at The Grand 1894 Opera House is the main fundraiser for the clinic that provides health care services to the underprivileged.  The show is at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 14.  Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door. 

This year's program, which is presented by student volunteers, includes several bands with UTMB ties such as Strike 3, Alligator Handshake and 6 Month Experiment.   The UTMB gospel group, SNMA, also will perform. In addition, medical students will perform a rendition of "Cell Block Tango" from the Broadway musical, "Chicago."

There will also be a raffle during the concert with prizes donated by area businesses, including the Mosquito Café, Mod Coffee House and Café, the Hotel Galvez, Yaga's, Salt Water Grill, East End Theatre Co., the Stork Club and Gaido's.   Raffle tickets are $1.  You don't have to be present to win.

Galye D. "Hava" Haischer, one of the student directors at St. Vincent's, said that she felt that she "is really making a difference" by helping at the clinic.  "Patients come back and ask for me.  They are truly grateful."

She said that the benefit concert raised about $4,000 last year and that this year's goal is to raise $5,000.   All proceeds go to the clinic.  Money to rent the Opera House was provided by the office of Dr. David L. Callender, president of UTMB, and the UTMB alumni association donated money needed for expenses such as raffle tickets.

Chih-Yu "Cindy" Lyou, another student director, said that volunteering at the clinic has helped her tremendously and that it was a "good way of giving back to the community."

St. Vincent's Clinic is a cooperative between St. Vincent's House and UTMB. In addition to providing primary and preventative medicine for the indigent, the clinic also allows physician assistant and medical students from the School of Medicine and School of Allied Health Sciences an opportunity to hone skills and techniques under the guidance of UTMB physicians and residents.

For more information, contact Hava at gdhaisch@utmb.edu