The Blue Mountain Community Renewal Council, a 501C3- non-profit, is partnering with HUMANITY RISING - Share the Spirit, A Butte Fire Benefit on December 19th at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds.
Set to perform, and graciously donating their time, are Hard Working Americans (a recently formed ‘Super group’ consisting of Todd Snider, Dave Schools, Neal Casal, Duane Trucks, Chad Staehly, and Jesse Aycock), Moonalice out of San Francisco, Dead Winter Carpenters from the Tahoe area, Edge of the West from Santa Cruz, Grateful Bluegrass Boys and Dusty Greenbones Band from Mendicino, and many more! Plus the best MC of our time, Wavy Gravy and a psychedelic light show by Liquid Lights.
It’s a family friendly event with three stages in three buildings, dinner, and silent auction and runs from 1pm through Midnight. HUMANITY RISING is looking for donations and volunteers to help make this event as impactful as possible. Proceeds will be distributed promptly and equitably to the most needy families and individuals promptly in order to help provide some degree of holiday comfort.
"Our first show ever was a benefit show for flood victims in Colorado. We understand how these giant natural disasters put hard-working Americans' backs up against the wall.” say The Hard Working Americans. “We're in a position to help so let's all join together and make a difference. It takes a village."
The Butte Fire started in early September 2015 in the Sierra Nevada Foothills of California and was one of the among the worst in the State’s history, with over 70,000 acres burned, as well as an estimated 500 plus homes.
“If you are thinking the Butte Fire is over, stop assuming someone else is doing the work that needs to be done." Long time Tuolumne and Calaveras county resident, promoter, philanthropist, and co-producer of Humanity Rising Jim Stearns says, “There's some perception or rationalization that there is enormous help coming in. It's the proverbial 'somebody else is taking care of it' problem. If those who are still warm, dry and relatively wealthy that live within 25 miles of the devastation would give 10 percent of their time and/or resources the problem would largely be handled already. Unfortunately many are buying useless crap for Christmas, taking vacations and ignoring the tragedy their neighbors are facing right over the hill.”
The mission of this event will be to provide grants to those that have had their homes and lives destroyed by the Butte Fire. Those that are uninsured, well underinsured and haven’t or haven’t the ability to secure major funding from other agencies such as Red Cross and FEMA will be given the highest priority.
Wendy Cox, a "boots on the ground” type of person, posted a comprehensive and accurate write-up about the situation entitled, “Why Is help still needed?.” “Hundreds (if not more than 1,000) of displaced people (more than 500 residences were lost to the fire) are living in inadequate conditions. They are confounded by their situation, and at a loss for what they are going to do. Many do not have potable water, if they have water at all. They are toileting in the sticks that used to be forest. They are sleeping on the bare ground if they are not fortunate to have a tarp. They do not enjoy a hot meal. They are waking up to frost and constant dampness that sleeping outdoors will bring (seniors are especially vulnerable to health problems in this environment.) Basic needs remain unmet.
When a disaster strikes there is an outpour of support which quickly turns to a trickle. Some of the temporary fixes and help have left… Because it has been two months and recovery will take 10-15 years. Because there are victims still waiting for basic needs to be met. Because victims are being swallowed by bureaucracy. Because people still feel lost, and confused. Because it is the right thing to do.”
The producers of the Humanity Rising benefit concert are Jim and Alisa Stearns, Linda Sanchez, and Emily West. Jim was owner and operator of Avery Ranch from 1974 until 2011. Alisa was born and raised in Sonora and has partnered with Jim on countless fundraising endeavors. Linda Sanchez, a long time Calaveras activist, was a Butte Fire victim, (lost everything) and Emily is a long time resident of the county as well. Blue Mountain Community Renewal Council is the 501C3 that will be the steward of the event and for providing this administrative service as well as providing insurance, this organization will take 3% of the revenue. BMCR, located in San Andreas, is listed by the Sierra Health Foundation as one of the five recipients of their community grants as an organization working for the relief of Butte Fire victims.
“We do our best to live up to the mantra: Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the places you can. In all the ways you can. To all the people you can. At all the times you can, for as long as you can.” Jim Stearns says “We have a deep connection to the land and the people that were devastated by the fire. We believe that if people just do what they can to help, in the relief of their neighbors and friends, then we together we can make a huge impact. Maybe it’s a day of work. Maybe it’s five bucks or maybe it’s a hundred. Maybe it’s taking somebody in, loaning somebody your RV or making food. We all have something we can offer. For us, we happen to be good at bringing people together for a good time as well as a good cause. Like everybody else, we’re just offering to help in the way we know best.”
“We are in the process of contacting individuals and organizations who are working tirelessly on the ground for recommendations and nominations for possible recipients of these funds.” Alisa Stearn says, “We are acutely aware that misuse, misdirection and administrative costs often decimate the effectiveness of these endeavors and remain deeply committed to making sure that this event will be as transparent and efficient as humanly possible.”
More Information and to get involved, please contact Jim Stearns, jim@salmonfestalaska.org or Alisa Mooy alisa@salmonfestalaska.org.
Humanity Rising - A Butte Fire Benefit:
Hard Working Americans
Moonalice
Dead Winter Carpenters
Edge of West
Grateful Bluegrass Boys
Dusty Greenbones Band
Folk Goddess Diane Patterson
Nedra & Julio
Thick Soup
Big Joe Daddy
Felicity Oceansong
Nicole Sass
MC Wavy Gravy
Plus a Psychedelic Light show by Liquid Lights
More tba!
Ticket link and more details → www.eventbrite.com/e/humanity-rising-share-the-spirit-butte-fire-benefit-concert-tickets-19321362716?aff=efbbt
