Concert at Batavia High raises more than $2,800 for sick student

Batavia High School students Casey Herman, left, and Maryssa Peirick practice the flute for "Musical Interludes for Trey." BHS' holiday concert was held to benefit Trey Filbert, a ninth-grader battling brain cancer.

If you were to ask any members of the BHS community about Trey Filbert, they would all probably tell you the same kind of things. Here are some comments, just to give you an idea:

"There's not a mean bone in his body," Freshman Nick Mungillo said.

"Trey's a dedicated athlete and a very sensitive and caring person," said Buddy Brasky, Trey's basketball coach. "He's a hard worker, is dependable and truly cares about each member of his team."

"His peers regard him as a kind, generous, fun young man," Principal Christopher Dailey said.

"Many of my students know him," Band Director Jane Haggett said. "They all talk about his positive attitude. He smiles a lot, is very happy, and has a gift for taking a serious situation and minimizing it."

Naturally, the BHS community responded as soon as the news arrived that Trey had been diagnosed with brain cancer.

"Multiple people came forward to help his family," Dailey said.

The largest-scale effort to help Trey and his family took place in the auditorium on Monday. The school's holiday concert was dedicated to Trey and helped raise money for his medical bills and treatment. Donations were collected at the doors, and a basket of goods donated by the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation was raffled off.

Pictured Paul Spiotta -- aka "the voice of the Batavia Blue Devils" -- was the concert's master of ceremonies.

Two major catalysts led to this event: a chicken barbeque fundraiser for Trey that took place last month and - less expectedly - the performance of flutist Megan Richardson in the Batavia Rotary Club's production of "Cinderella!" Richardson's music inspired Haggett to consider working with her on an arts-based fundraiser.

Richardson playing Francis Poulenc's "Sonate (1st Movement)" at Monday's concert.

"I heard her play and I thought, 'wow, we should really do a concert for a cause,'" Haggett said. "Then I got the e-mail about the chicken barbeque for Trey, and I knew that this was it."

The night's performances included the following:

BHS junior Maryssa Peirick singing "O Holy Night."

Batavia City School Distric BOE member Patrick D. Burk singing "Home," a song from the musical "The Wiz."

The cast of the Batavia Players' production of "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown," singing "Happiness" (Spiotta said the actors "unanimously agreed" to perform at the concert when they heard it was being done for Trey).

BHS alumnus Valerie Stevens singing "Defying Gravity," from the musical "Wicked."

The "BHS Blue Belles" -- left to right: Sarah DiBacco, Catherine McAllister, Catherine Taylor, Melzie Case and Emily Pahuta -- sang various Christmas carols.

The BHS Jazz Band, conducted by Haggett.

The entire BHS music department was involved in this event, but the spirit of generosity permeating the concert was not limited to them. Trey's classmates - aka the Freshman Class -- recently raised money for him via "Rays for Trey" (see Daily News article at http://tinyurl.com/yfzaamu).

Toward the end of the concert, four ninth-graders presented the final collection of paper suns, each signed by a BHS student, to Trey and his family (who of course had front-row seats) while happily disclosing the amount of money raised.

Haggett, who worked with the Freshman class on the chicken barbeque, applauded the students' hard work on Trey's behalf.

"I personally am very proud of this class and of how they came together for one of their own," she said.

"Any young man who has to go what Trey is going through, deserves [this type of support]," Brasky said. "His family is in need and the BHS family has come through for them."

Principal Dailey agreed.

"Batavia High is a special place where we take care of our own," he said. "I have never worked in such a positive, caring environment."

Before inviting attendees to the cafeteria for refreshments, Haggett identified this demonstration of community spirit as one of the reasonsshe loves Batavia."

"People here really do come together...and they love the arts," the band director said, adding "...Trey, we're all thinking about you, and we hope you got that impression tonight."

The benefit concert raised more than $2,851.