only to raise money for some of their fellow performers but to also give each other much needed support in their effort to showcase Island talent.

At Clearwater Beach on Sunday, local bands, solo singers, guitarists, pianists and promoters will stage a show that will lift everyone's spirits, especially those of David Burch, Glenfield Smith, and Rosemarie DeShields who will use the proceeds made for their medical expenses.

The show has been organised by The Bermuda Musicians and Entertainers Benevolent Fund, a charity that will initially help musicians and entertainers who are currently in need of financial support for medical expenses, but will ultimately serve as an insurance base supporting all of Bermuda's musicians and entertainers.

The grand opening will consist of a mega community event -- the first annual Bermuda Entertainers and Musicians charity festival -- on Sunday, September 28 at Clearwater Beach.

From 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. organisers will attempt to put on the "number one community event of the year''.

There will also be food, arts and crafts, and game stalls. The event will also consist of a special supervised children's section that will have games, fun castles and other fun children's entertainment.

Organiser of the fund Abdullah Furqan said if music is your life and you are working in the hotels you have no insurance.

"Hotels don't insure musicians as they are usually considered part-time help,'' Mr. Furqan said.

He added: "We are hoping to be able to raise $250,000 to assist singer David Burch, guitarist Glenfield Smith and aspiring musician Rosemarie DeShields with their medical bills.

"This whole thing started because I found out that Glenfield Smith found out that he had a tumour. I spoke to his family about having a fundraising event to help him out. And then we learned that David and Rosemarie also had medical problems.

"So I contacted everyone from the likes of veteran singer Hubert Smith right down to Jahstice and Mokah to put on a show to not only help some fellow musicians but also themselves. The response was amazing.'' Mr. Furqan also said the group intends to have more self-promotion with musicians doing shows, fashions shows etc.

"From here on in this is what we are working on, we also would like to start a scholarship for up and coming musicians.

"Musicians and entertainers need to do this for themselves. It's time for us to come together because it seems someone has lost the formula for what it takes to bring tourists here and we hope this organisation will lift up the organisation of music and entertainment.

He said Bermuda has so much expertise like Vernon "Ghandi'' Burgess, who is "one of Bermuda's greatest musicians.'' Mr. Furqan added that all the entertainers will be doing their thing such as reggae, calypso, and limbo -- "there will be all the rhythmic forms that one could want to portray as music''.

Promoter Gladwin Simmons said the event is a good thing because "at the moment there is a great need to see that the entertainment industry is enhanced a great deal more in Bermuda than it is and seeing that it is essential to help the survival of the tourism industry this will be a very good step in the right direction.'' He added: "We have the talent here that could be world class.'' Andrew Phillips, who is the coordinating of Dread and Baha Productions and is assisting with the coordination and marketing of the event said there is a wake-up call coming from Bermudians in supporting these musicians and entertainers.

"We must understand that these people are not foreigners, they are our own mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and cousins and the time has come for the community to stand up and help our own.

"As Bermudians we are either going to be apart of our community or we are simply going to live in it and complain about it.'' Mr. Phillips added: "We are asking all Bermudians to come out and support their own as the theme is "Giving from the Heart''.

COMING TOGETHER -- Bermuda's musicians and entertainers are coming together for a fundraising show this weekend. Pictured from left are veteran muscian Abdullah Furqan, Andrew Phillips of Dred and Baha Productions, veteran entertainer Ghandi Burgess, and promoter Gladwin Simmons.