In the days after the unthinkable, some students gave blood; others gave money.

Everyone, it seemed, gave something of himself.

For their part, the members of Yale’s storied Whiffenpoofs and the world-renowned Yale Cellos will give of themselves musically.

Under the direction of community service organization Musical Cure, the Cellos and the Whiffenpoofs have joined forces with other campus musical groups in hopes of raising $10,000 for the families of policemen and firefighters killed in the collapse of the World Trade Center in New York City.

The two groups will play on Sept. 30 in Battell Chapel at a benefit concert that will also feature performances by a number of opening acts.

Musical Cure recruits musicians to visit nursing homes, hospitals and soup kitchens, bringing live performing arts to those who would not otherwise experience them.

Event organizer Eric Kim ’02, a member of the Yale Cellos, co-founded Musical Cure last spring and wanted to use musical talent to help those who were affected by last Tuesday’s tragedy.

“I’ve played before big venues before,” he said. “But when you’re using music to help someone else the feeling is just hundreds of times more rewarding.”

Tickets for the event will go on sale Monday in all Yale College dining halls.

Kim said organizers are asking for a “suggested donation” of $7, but he expects people to give more.

“Look at what the cause is,” he said, “and look at who’s performing. Yale students have given so much already, and we’re counting on that to continue.”

Event financial coordinator Charles Finch ’02 said organizers expect to fill all of Battell Chapel’s 1,100 seats.

Finch is a Scene columnist at the Yale Daily News.

“When it first happened, people felt a little bit helpless,” he said. “This is a really good way to help things in a real way — it will make us feel better, and it will let us get money to the people who need it.”

While organizers will solicit donations from students, the true fund-raising power of the event lies in a matching pledge from an anonymous corporate donor, who has promised $10,000 to the cause if the organizers can make the same in ticket sales.

The son of a 25-year career New York policeman, the donor loves classical music and wanted to use his position in his financial firm to help those affected by the tragedy, Kim said.

In addition to the two headline performers, organizers have already recruited Unity, Yale’s Korean drum corps, and are close to bringing aboard a Connecticut bagpipe band, and Steppin’ Out, Yale’s student step group, Kim said.

Finch said he expects the University will waive charges for use of the chapel and is hopeful the Yale Police Department will provide event security at a reduced cost.

The Yale Cellos are a group of graduate students who play throughout the world under the direction of music professor Aldo Parisot.

In certain circumstances, the Cellos invite talented undergraduates like Kim to join them. Before becoming a member of the Cellos, Kim was the principle cellist in the Yale Symphony Orchestra.

Kim said he was amazed at how quickly students were able to rally together to put on the event.

“A concert like this usually takes 12 weeks to organize,” Kim said. “It’s truly a testament to people’s desire to help that we could get this many hands together on this short notice.”