PLAINFIELD - They didn’t make the record books yesterday, but it was still a harmonious, happy day in Plainfield.
Residents of the Queen City who gathered yesterday at City Hall to try and break the Guinness World Record for the largest gospel choir were unsuccessful, but the day was still touted as a positive step toward peace in this community, which has been rocked by more than 20 violent crimes since May raised.
Yesterday’s event drew 755 singers, about 250 people shy of the record. To help drum up interest in the event – held on the International Day of Non Violence – organizers invited Grammy Award Winning Gospel songstress Yolana Adams and American Idol season four contestant Anwar Robinson, a former Plainfield music instructor.
"We didn’t break the record, but that doesn’t mean we were not successful," said Donovan Soumas, founder of H.E.R.I.T.A.G.E Inc and the event’s organizer. "The people here today understood that we have to come together for positive change and peace in this community."
H.E.R.I.T.A.G.E Inc. is probably most famous for its youth choir, whose members are three-time champions of the McDonalds Gospelfest. Dressed in black suits and white collared shirts, the choir led participants in a spirited rendition of "Oh Happy Day" from the movie Sister Act II. Participants at yesterday’s event also enjoyed vendors selling southern cuisine like chicken wings, macaroni-and-cheese, collard greens and pie.
Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs said this event is one in a series she has held and will continue to organize to quell gun and gang violence in her city. Every Tuesday evening, Robinson-Briggs and a group of volunteers hit the streets of Plainfield to raise awareness about community safety. She passes out literature on the penalties for illegal weapons possession, and she encourages parents to set curfews for their children.
"This summer, residents were still grieving, but now it’s time to heal our community," Robinson-Briggs said.
Guiness World Records adjudicator Mike Ganela judged yesterday’s event and certified the results. Though Plainfield was not successful, Ganela said failed efforts are not uncommon. Just three percent of the more than 60,000 applicants Guinness receives each year become record-holders, Ganela said.
For its application to receive approval, Plainfield had to meet strict guidelines. Organizers needed approval from Guiness music researchers that their song selection qualified as Gospel music. The song needed to at least five minutes long, and all participants needed to be singing for Guiness to include them in the count. Finally, the massive choir needed a qualified conductor, which they got in Soumas. Ganela did the count visually.
"People attended today’s event to do something to bring this community together for peace," Spoumas said. "We are showing not only New Jersey, or Union County, or Plainfield, but the whole country we can do wondeful things and change people’s mindsets about Plainfield."
Plainfield resident Eddie Saunders said he came out to break the record because he wanted to help makr history.
"We love our community. We should go back to doing these kids of things every year," Saunders said. "This shows the children that we still love them and shows the parents that we still have the skills to uplift them, because the adults need support, too."
Source - njnews
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