Concert to benefit food pantries
To the edtior:
First, we can not thank everyone enough for those that have already supported the Feed the County Summerfest concert this Saturday, Aug. 20th, at Spud Speedway.
It is very important to us that everyone understands who we are and what we are trying to accomplish. Currently, it takes about $90,000 each year to purchase food for the local food pantries.
Catholic Charities Maine administers a program called Feed the County. Catholic Charities purchases food and distributes it to 24 food pantries within a 150-mile radius around Caribou. With gas now $3.80-plus a gallon and heating oil this past winter over $3.80 a gallon, people are struggling financially. Our goal from the start for this benefit concert has been to sell 7,500 tickets and raise at least $75,000 for Feed the County.
Aroostook Savings and Loan is a small financial institution with 25 employees located in Caribou. They are a mutual financial institution, there are no stockholders, and the customers own the bank. This year will mark their 75th anniversary, and to honor this accomplishment, they wanted to do something to give back in a big way. So they came up with an idea to have a benefit concert for Feed the County. They are a small community financial institution where each one of the 25 employees is working very hard to sell tickets for the concert so we can try to reach our goal of $75,000.
Spud Speedway also wanted to get involved and support this great cause by hosting this event and assisting the coordination of the overall event. Spud Speedway’s owners purchased the venue about two years ago with the intent to revive one of northern Maine’s most historic venues. Spud Speedway will be a great place to host such an event with plenty of parking, concessions, and easy access for concert-goers. This will be the largest attended function at the Speedway in well over a decade or more. This is Spud Speedway’s way to give back to the community and support such a great cause.
Spud Speedway is also hosting, KEG, a live local band for everyone’s entertainment on Friday night in the campground area along with a bonfire. If you are staying in the campground or if you have a concert ticket for Saturday nights event, Spud Speedway is providing this free of charge. So make sure to enjoy a full weekend of entertainment right here in the County.
Aroostook Savings & Loan felt by trying to underwrite the concert and getting it off the ground in hopes of selling 7,500 tickets and raising $75,000 for Feed the County. This is not a typical show where the promoter gets all the profit. All the proceeds above the cost of putting on the event will go to Feed the County to buy food. The concert has six musical acts playing on August 20th. We were able to get Big and Rich, Gretchen Wilson and Cowboy Troy to perform.
In addition, we wanted to find a Canadian country group to play that evening as well to add an international flare. We contacted Rik Reese to see if Neon Highway would play for the benefit concert. They were excited about playing for the first time in the U.S. and play right before Big and Rich. Recently, they opened for Toby Keith in PEI and did a tremendous job. It was so sad to hear that Pete, their bass guitarist, died when he struck a moose going home soon after. They have been troopers and plan to play for 90 minutes on August 20th.
To round out the concert we have added a local group called Common Crossing and Kelly Parker from southern Maine to play. Kelly grew up in Washburn and has been opening for large acts like Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, and Keith Urban. She is someone else who is so excited to play before Big and Rich/Gretchen Wilson in front of people from her hometown.
Please remember we know Aroostook County is full of proud hard working people. From working in the woods to growing potatoes on some of the best soil this side of the Mississippi, we are very self reliant. We are not looking for a handout. We are simply trying to create an event where some nationally known singers can perform to sing and lift their spirits, and give us the opportunity to raise the funds we need to help keep food on the tables in our small corner of the world.
With all that being said, don’t miss out on attending the biggest party of the summer in the County with huge nationally known artists. These concerts don’t make it past Bangor and this is our chance as a community to attend a great event for what it costs for the gas money to drive to an event in Bangor. Be sure to get your tickets and have a great time and feel good about supporting a great cause that will help your neighbors and friends.
Tickets are $54.50 in advance and $59.50 at the gate the day of the event. You can get your tickets at www.spud-speedway.com , Aroostook Savings & Loan and Catholic Charities in Caribou & Presque Isle, Daigle Oil fuel offices in Madawaska, Fort Kent and Houlton, Sleeper’s or Haney’s Building Specialties in Caribou.
Troy Haney
Spud Speedway
John S. Swanberg,
Aroostook Savings & Loan
