At the beginning of her set, Celine rose onto an in-the-round stage
resplendent in a white gown, singing "Let's Talk about Love". On the last
refrain, she was joined onstage by a chorus of kids, many bearing the now
instantly recognizable "We are.Columbine" T-shirts commemorating the nation's
worst high school shooting of April 20th. The Columbine kids' joined around
her, singing with her.  Celine then asked the 20,000 people "to be serious". 
She spoke to the whole arena, but gave special attention to the front row of
seats immediately at stage right, where sat a collection of Columbine
survivors, their families and the families of some students who were killed
in the shooting spree. Celine said; (as you could hear a pin drop...) "You
know, we do a lot of shows, but this show has a different feeling. It mean's
something different for us, for all of us." "We love you, Columbine,"
came a woman's distant voice, drifting down from high in the rafters.
"Your pain & suffering was felt around the world.
Everyone grieved with you, everyone prayed for you,
everyone wanted to comfort you and everyone cared, & they still do"

She dedicated the performance to the Columbine community, but
didn't mention that she earlier had pledged her income from the show
estimated by Pepsi Center officials as being in the hundreds of thousands of
dollars- to the Colorado Organization of Victim Assistance. "I would like to
ask them to accept a token of peace on behalf of all of those who have
suffered and lost," she said. As Dion's band eased into "Columbine, Friend of
Mine," the song written by brothers and Columbine students, Aaron and Josh
Cohen, the chorus members delivered white roses to the honored Columbine
guests.  Celine followed, greeting the gathered survivors, giving each a hug,
including Patrick Ireland, the student whose fall from a second story window
at the school gripped people watching the Columbine drama as it unfolded on
television. There was not a dry eye in the new Pepsi Center. Celine was
visibly moved, wiping the tears away as she walked back to the stage. We were
all stunned at how caring and thoughtful she was.  She then continued with
the show, spreading her warmth for the next two hours, among all 20,000
amazed fans.  We left the show, not really the same, but through Celine, 
we knew the world was a better place. 

As a fan, I am in awe at her kind, sincere and giving heart. I feel compelled
to tell other fans about these events and share the love Celine so freely
gave us all last night. She is one classy lady! Celine was featured the next
day, on the front page of both "The Denver Post" and the
"Denver Rocky Mountain News".



The announcement card handed out to concert goers stating Celine would be
donating all her profits from that night, and printed by Celine's management
company, is being auctioned on ebay with a "Pepsi Center" Inaugural gift and
both front page's of The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News from Saturday,
October 2nd with Celine on the cover. The proceeds from this auction will
also be donated to the "Colorado Organization of Victim Assistance".