Adele, Beyoncé, Cher, Cyndi Lauper, Lady Gaga, Gloria Estefan, Gloria Gaynor, Judy Garland, Madonna, RuPaul, Tina Turner, and Whitney Houston. What do all these ladies of song have in common? One word. DIVA. That’s who the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Choir channeled this past March 12-15, at the Suzanne Roberts Theater on Broad Street, as they performed their sold-out show, “Proud Marys: A Diva Sing-A-Long.” The performance was sponsored by Geno’s Steaks and was a sold out show that weekend.

On that stage was PGMC member, Thom Wolfinger, who calls Kensington home. A French teacher in the Philadelphia School District for 15 years, Wolfinger moved to Philly to help out with plantings at a Kensington church.

“I was commuting to my job as a teacher from Perkasie, Pa., but I loved this city,” Wolfinger said. “I bought a house and stayed.”

Wolfinger wears his dedication for his students on his sleeve: Sometimes being the engine to fundraise for their trips abroad, and then the caboose when he pushes them to excel beyond their expectations.

“As a teacher, I believe we need to help give students opportunities to do great things like traveling,” he said. “At Lankenau High School, the students have traveled to Quebec, France, Spain, Costa Rica. In two weeks they will be leaving for Italy and Greece.”

An alumnus of Susquehanna University, Wolfinger vividly remember sitting on the bench on campus with Chaplain Ray Shaheen. Wolfinger was looking for some guidance, some direction. Shaheen gave him this advice:

“Thom, some people use the expression, ‘called,’ exclusively for the ministry; but I believe that some people are also called to teaching.”

It was a defining moment for Wolfinger, not only that he would be a teacher, but that he would teach in a larger urban center such as Philadelphia.

And Wolfinger is lucky enough to combine his love of teaching with his love of singing and performing with the PGMC through their outreach program.

Thanks in part to funding received from the Knight Foundation, the PGMC performed five school assembly programs in the fall of 2014, at Abington Junior High School, Girard Academic Music Program, and Northeast High School.

While at Northeast High, the PGMC was joined by staff from the Attic Youth Center. The facilitators from the Attic followed up the PGMC concert presentation with leading discussions on a variety of LGBT topics.

The feedback the PGMC received from faculty, staff and students after their performance was inspiring, as their message was simple: “It is okay to be the person that you have been created to be; you are accepted.”

What’s up next for the PGMC?

Cabaret, May 2, 2015 at the William Way Center. Summer in the City, May 15-16, 2015; PRIDE, June 14, 2015. And who knows, could PGMC sing for the Pope come September? Maybe Wolfinger can show off his French for His Holiness.

For more information, go to www.pgmc.com.