SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Area nonprofit Parker’s Passion continues their support of music education in Springfield district schools with the third annual Pints for Parker’s Passion fundraiser.
The family-friendly event will be held rain or shine on Saturday, Aug. 5, from 1-3 p.m., at Vermont Beer Makers in Springfield, Vt. Admission is free, and includes entertainment by area rock band The Illusion. Happy Jolly Chef will be on hand serving up home cooked American fare.
Attendees can enter to win a 50-50 raffle, and prizes from local sponsors, including Bibens Ace Hardware, the Dance Factory, Edgar May Health and Recreation Center, Green Mountain Classics, Red House Press, the Richards Group, Springfield Auto Mart, and others. Raffle entrants need not be present to win.
Proceeds from the 2022 event were awarded to Elm Hill School, and supported student concerts, including a series of second grade operas. Music teacher Kyle Washburn said that the funds allowed him “to put on my first – and to my knowledge, the first ever at the school – staged musical production, complete with sets and costumes [that were] almost entirely outside of my normal school budget. I didn’t have to sacrifice classroom instruments, books, and other resources that I keep up with yearly.”
“The students left feeling confident and inspired from the concerts, and putting them together I saw just how much the excitement rose when we started rehearsing with the sets and costumes,” continued Kyle. “I’m very thankful for Parker’s Passion for making the very first opera concert at Elm Hill a great success.”
Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit the music program at Riverside Middle School, led by incoming music teacher Nick Pelton.
Parker’s Passion was established by the children and friends of local musician Travis Parker after his untimely passing in 2020. A graduate of Springfield High School, Travis was a guitar player, singer, and songwriter, for whom music played an outsized role, allowing him to express his emotions and to connect with others. By supporting district music education programs, Parker’s Passion hopes to positively impact as many aspiring young musicians as possible.
For more information on Parker’s Passion and the Pints for Parker’s Passion fundraiser, or to donate, visit www.facebook.com/parkerspassion05156, or contact Alanna Cox at ParkersPassion05156@gmail.com.