CD Sales Will Aid Homeless Children
Heidi A. DeVries
Thirteen children die every day on the streets, according to child advocacy groups. Most of those children are homeless, who either can't or won't go home and end up living lives of crime to survive or languishing alone.
"There could be between 1.3 (million) and 2.8 million homeless kids," said Christie Wittmeyer, executive director of the Tampa branch of Stand Up for Kids, a national organization for homeless children.
There are a lot of problems we see daily around the world, and many of those problems are chronicled in song. However, one would be hard-pressed to find a song about children being homeless.
Dozens of local artists have donated their time and talent by allowing one of their songs to be used on a CD that will raise money for homeless children in the Tampa Bay and Central Florida areas.
"We felt, as a band, that any way we can give back to our community is a good thing," said Clint Woolley, with the Polk County band 48 States Away. "I grew up in music, and I received so much help from the community. So it's just the right thing to do ..."
HELPING HOMELESS KIDS
"Most of them don't want to be found, but they're there," Wittmeyer said.
Stand Up for Kids buys supplies like food and clothes for the homeless children and teenagers they find. They have counselors who assist in runaway prevention, getting kids into schools or tutoring, going back home or even getting an apartment and a job.
The Tampa chapter has a steady dozen kids or so that it helps at any given time, though the number can fluctuate wildly.
The chapters are also responsible for raising money for these services, which are usually through donations. However, Wittmeyer says her chapter has had the opportunity for some more creative fundraising because of the interest Tampa Bay Muse took in its organization.
BIG HEARTS AND VOICES
Tampa Bay Muse is a local arts Web site (www.tampabaymuse.org) that advertises and sometimes organizes concerts, art shows and culture events in Polk, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota counties.
"We had done some things with them in the past," Wittmeyer said. "There were some concerts that were really helpful in getting our name out. So when Tampa Bay Muse told us this idea about a CD and got all the local bands together, obviously that was totally great with us."
So Tampa Bay Muse looked for local performers to contribute their music to raise money for the organization. The project began last year and Pemberley, Inertia!, 48 States Away, Red Room Cinema, The Vera Violets, Doll Parts, Dennis Dalcin and the Lears, Military Junior, Wayne Mason, Madam Datum, Joon, Timothy Simpson, Jeremy Gloff, Ryan Powers Boyle, and the Lake Audition will all appear on the charity CD.
Alex Santiago of 48 States Away is helping to organize the Polk County CD-release party. "We've got such a great lineup of Polk County artists that the CD release party is going to be awesome," he said. The concert date is tentatively set for August, but like all big projects, the "Stand Up for Kids" CD has run into some release-date problems.
CD-RELEASE PARTY
The CD was originally set to be released in "late April, early May." The revised release date of June 1 has come and gone, and now the artists are hoping the CD will be out sometime this months.
"We're kinda getting the runaround at this point, but hopefully it will come out soon and the Stand Up for Kids group can get the help they need," 48 States Away band member Woolley said.
When it does come out, the CD will be available both on www.TampaBayMuse.com and from the artists. There are 1,000 CDs being made, so Santiago has high hopes for the CDs that will both raise money for the organization and expose people to more than a dozen local unsigned artists.
Keep checking www.standupforkidscd.com for updates.