by Lauren Rosier
Want to make a difference while also jamming out to some amazing music? This Saturday the third annual Winter Doldrums Music Festival will bring twelve hours of music to World Cafe Live in Philadelphia to raise awareness and funding for mental health issues and suicide prevention. All proceeds from the event will go to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Greater Philadelphia Chapter. The WXPN and Turtle Studios sponsored event is in its third year to help raise awareness about a health issue that is often overlooked.
Did you know that suicide causes more deaths per year than any other illness except for heart disease and cancer? Many of the individuals who die by suicide have a mental or emotional disorder. These individuals deserve the respect and understanding and most importantly, a healthcare system that treats their illnesses with the same urgency as those who have physical illnesses receive.
One of the organizers of the event, Michele Lynn, lost her son to suicide on September 29, 2013. Michele explained, “My hope is that the Winter Doldrums Music Festival, by raising awareness and funding for suicide prevention, can save at least one life and one family’s massive grief. If we can do that, then we’ve succeeded.”
The event is hosted by Mark Rogers of 93.7 FM WSTW Hometown Heroes, Charlie Silvestri of Up Close and Acoustic syndicated show and podcast, and Ian Zolitor of G-town’s Radio’s Bridging The Gap. The music festival will feature 20 bands such as The Rent-A-Cops, Divers, No Good Sister, Kicking Down Doors, Swing That Cat, Christine Havrilla & Gypsy Fuzz, Black Horse Motel, Andrea Nardello, and many, many more.
The festival will also hold a silent auction with items from the bands with memorabilia, and other music related items as well as live painting by Frank Kolbmann who will donate the art to the silent auction.
And no worries, this event is all ages and begins at noon on February 7th. Tickets for the festival are $18.00 in advance and $21.00 at the door (plus service charges).
