Local Teen Girl Prays Dream Of Singing For Pope Comes True
By Molly Daly
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's the opportunity of a lifetime -- to travel to Rome with the Archdiocesan Children's Choir to sing at a Mass celebrated by Pope Francis. But time's running out for a 14-year-old girl from Northern Liberties to raise the money to make the trip.
DeOvionne Brown -- De with one 'e' for short -- is a science-loving freshman at Hallahan who sings second soprano and alto in the Archdiocesan Children's Choir.
"I was in my school choir, my grade school choir since 3rd grade, and so in 5th grade, I found out about the Archdiocesan Girls Choir. And I auditioned, and got in. It's my 5th year," she said.
The group's heading to Rome December 31st to raise their voices in the Children's Festival Choir for Epiphany. It costs $7,000 for De and her grandmother, who'll chaperone, to make the trip, but with the full amount due Monday, she's less than halfway there.
Fundraising efforts have been...spotty.
"We were trying to sell Barbies on Ebay -- I don't think that went too well."
So she's hoping donations of money and American Airlines frequent flyer miles will get her there, at gofundme.com/SendDeToItaly. Because how often do you get to go to Rome to sing for the Pope?
"I want to be part of a group that says, 'I've been there, I've done that. And I'm proud to say that I did that.' "
