Guilford's Own Morris Pleasure Returns for Guilford ABC Concert

Tickets are now on sale for the fifth Mo Pleasure & Friends Concert to benefit Guilford A Better Chance. Guilford ABC is excited to have its hometown musician return for this much-anticipated concert event on Saturday, February 1 at 7:30pm in the Performing Arts Center of the Guilford High School.

Mention the name Morris Pleasure and you immediately think Ray Charles, Roberta Flack, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Michael Jackson. But locally we know him as Mo, born and raised right here in Guilford. His father, Robert Pleasure, was the long-time principal of the A.W. Cox Elementary School and one of the founders of Guilford ABC. Mo met his future wife, Lori Harris Pleasure, when she arrived from Cleveland, Ohio in the second year of the Guilford ABC program. In 2009, in the spirit of giving back to his community, Mo presented his first benefit concert for Guilford ABC; subsequent concerts have sold out every seat in the beautiful GHS auditorium.

Now in its 45th year, Guilford ABC — A Better Chance —is dedicated to helping close the opportunity gap for academically talented students of color from educationally disadvantaged communities. Guilford, one of the nation’s earliest ABC public school programs, is one of more than 300 private and public schools from Maine to California that hosts ABC scholars. The Guilford ABC program sponsors six young women who spend their high school academic years living in a program-owned house on Church Street, supported by a skilled resident director, an assistant director/cook and a Board of Directors, all of whom provide guidance and support to our scholars, as do host families from the community and many volunteers. Our scholars are young women chosen from many candidates for their academic and leadership potential. The program exists to help these talented students live up to their potential and become confident, contributing members of society. More than 70 Guilford ABC scholars have graduated from Guilford High School and gone on to successfully complete college as a direct result of our community’s support and effort!

Guilford ABC is funded entirely by donations, which include an annual appeal, revenue from the Hole in the Wall consignment shop, and other donations as well as special events such as this Mo Pleasure Benefit Concert.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Tickets are $40 for assigned seats, students pay half price ($20). For more information about tickets, please contact Jeff Zeitlin, ajzeitlin@comcast.net/860-614-8372. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Marie Berry, 203-430-6644.