Mainers Gather to Benefit St. John at Port City Music Hall Tomorrow
On Friday October 6th at Port City Music Hall will host a benefit for victims of Hurricane Maria with a night of Grateful Music featuring New England's own DEAD SESSIONS. Join them for SEA TO SHINING SEA: A BENEFIT FOR ST. JOHN
Here's more about why they're doing this from a Port City Music Hall press release:
"On September 6th, St. John, US Virgin Islands, was devastated by the most powerful storm ever to hit the Caribbean. Buildings were leveled, trees denuded, and lives forever changed. People lost everything, their homes, their businesses, and their livelihoods. They waited for relief for days while the storm hit the mainland, thousands of Americans forgotten. Relief is hard to get to an island. Just when help finally started to arrive, Hurricane Maria arrived and destroyed all of the progress they made, along with the places they were getting relief from. Isolated and without a way to get help, they are surviving on the efforts of those who know what a beautiful place it is and will be again. They will be without power for months, and the island will never be the same. St. John is an island that relies mostly on tourism to sustain itself. When the storm destroyed the infrastructure and the buildings, it killed the industry as well.
Maine, New England, and St. John have long had many ties. Sailors and fishermen who grew up on the waters of Maine now live and work in St. John. Many of the island residents are New Englanders. One of the three restaurants spared by the hurricanes, 420 to Center, is owned by a man from Maine. He has been open 24 hours a day since the storm, feeding thousands of free meals to residents affected and offering his restaurant as shelter to those who have nothing. He needs our help, they need our help.We are raising money to support Love for Love City, a charity organized by longtime St. John resident and country music star Kenny Chesney. This charity is getting relief supplies directly into the hands of St. Johnians who need them through private relief planes and coordinating with our friends and loved ones on island. Learn more here.We are also raising money for the children of St.John. The St. John School for the Arts has lost everything. The kids of St. John have lost the most. Their homes, their schools, and as a result of all of it, their friends and a chance to learn. The school lost everything and needs so much--instruments, buildings, teachers, and more. We hope to help them rebuild to give kids a chance to learn and grow not just for today but for the future.We will be collecting cash donations for these charities as well as holding a raffle with prizes ranging from gift certificates to local restaurants and businesses, concert tickets, memorabilia signed by country music superstar (and St. John resident) Kenny Chesney, and more. Let's enjoy a great night of music and raising money for some great causes!"