On January 18, 19 & 20, 2008, 19 Plugged In bands performed at “65 Roses”, a benefit concert that raised $4100 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, a nonprofit donor-supported organization, whose mission is to assure the development of the means to cure and control cystic fibrosis.

The selection process for the charity started at the beginning of the session when the students participated in an event similar to a town meeting, called Charity Night. Students presented to each other causes and charitable organizations that are important to them and explained how they learned about the charities, what needs are met by the organizations and why they feel it is important to support the organizations. 16-year old Plugged In student, Jake Randall, who has Cystic Fibrosis, presented the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Jake talked to the rest of the students about what the disease is, how it has affected his body and his life, his feeding tube, the pills he has to take, how he has diabetes because of CF, what treatments he must undergo, and how despite all these treatments, he often still gets sick. His powerful presentation moved his fellow students and they voted to have their concert be a benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. This was the first time Jake had ever told anyone, other than his closest friends, that he had the disease.

In conjunction with the concert each session, Plugged In holds a song-writing workshop. The workshop provides students the opportunity to learn more about the charity, learn song-writing techniques from professional song-writers, and write, perform and record an original song for a CD. Chad Urmston, former Dispatch member, current member of State Radio and a supporter of Plugged In, attended the December song-writing workshop and co-wrote and performed a song about Cystic Fibrosis with six-year old Sam Gutwill and his family. Sam and his brothers, Teddy and Jared are triplets. Sam and Teddy have Cystic Fibrosis. Chad and the triplets performed the song at the concert. Click here to watch them perform “Sam’s Song”. Jake Randall wrote an original song, “My Disease (Everyday)”, about his experience living with Cystic Fibrosis. Jake performed “My Disease (Everyday) at the concert, as well.

Cynthia Macgowan, associate executive director of the Massachusetts/Rhode Island Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, attended the concert and spoke to the audience about the research being done by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. From the songs written at the song-writing workshop and the photos from the concert and other CFF events, Cynthia created two beautiful montages that are being used to help fundraise for the foundation:

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation