Wishing Well and Eternal Threads are raising money for water during a benefit concert featuring the Revolution orchestra and Nashville’s Randall Goodgame on Friday.

All proceeds from the event, which will take place in the Hunter Welcome Center ballroom, will be used to dig a well for nomadic Afghan women who are suffering from a lack of clean water.

Wishing Well, a student group that raises money to build wells in Africa, will direct its fundraising efforts to Afghanistan for the first time, because the need for clean water is so apparent in that area, said Ben Fulfer, senior sociology major from Memphis, Tenn.

Fulfer said Friday’s concert is intended to engage not only ACU students but the Abilene community as well, and the group chose bands that all ages would enjoy.

Revolution, an orchestra comprised of skilled string players from Abilene High and Cooper High schools, combine jazz and Celtic music with a modern appeal, Fulfer said.

Randall Goodgame, a musician and songwriter for the Christian group, Caedmon’s Call, will also perform at the event.

Fulfer said Wishing Well decided to join efforts with Eternal Threads for this event after Afghan women contacted Eternal Threads and requested aid because of their lack of clean water.

“This is the first time we have stepped out of Africa, which is kind of cool, ’cause a lot of people are forgetting about women who are in this war-torn Afghanistan,” Fulfer said.

Eternal Threads is currently making efforts to aid women in Afghanistan by selling handcrafted items, such as rugs, made by village women, said Sue Garcia, director of Eternal Threads.

“These villagers have basically lost everything they have; they’re hanging on by a thread, literally,” Garcia said. She said the women are suffering from a loss of tents, herds, electricity and water, among other things.

All money earned from Friday’s concert will be used directly to fund a well that will provide water for this village, Garcia said. The cost of building a well is about $4,000 and will be raised entirely by fundraising.

“We want as many people to come as possible and know they are not only going to have a fun night but make clean water available for people who don’t have any,” Garcia said.

Eternal Threads will be selling merchandise, and associate professor of art and design Dan McGregor’s illustration class designed a T-shirt that can be purchased at the event. Tickets are $10 or two for $16, and they will be available in the Campus Center from 11 a.m.-3p.m. until Friday.

Fulfer said he encourages the ACU and Abilene community to attend the concert to enjoy good music, as well as support a worthy cause.

“It’s really hard to convince college-age students to come out and spend $10 on something,” Fulfer said. “If there’s one thing I think it’s worth, it’s for this.”