When Jimmy Dillon took the stage to accept his Milley Award for Achievement in the Musical Arts onSunday evening Oct. 21 at the Mill Valley Community Center, he said he felt most comfortable with guitar in hand. He reminded everyone that "the meaning of life is to find your gift" and "the purpose of life is to give it away." He then sang one of his inspiring original ballads Hold On To Your Dreams ...and don't you let them go.
Bread & Roses supporter Michael Narada Waldenwas there cheering Jimmy on along with emceeLeah Garchik who skillfully wove all the stories of the award winners into a seamless whole. Former Milley Award winnerMark Fishkin of the Mill Valley Film Festivalwas also there tocongratulate Jimmy and to honor Zoe Elton for her Milley Award for Achievement in the Performing Arts.
Micah Press and his jazz combo at the San Rafael farmer's market.
Fall is a time when many nonprofits step up their fundraising efforts in order to meet end-of-year goals. This fall, Bread & Roses was delighted to be on the receiving end of the generosity of thirteen-year-old Micah Press, who took our mission to the streets with the help of his school’s jazz combo.
We first met Micah a few months ago when he set out to raise money in support of our organization. Being a musician himself, he said that of all the Marin nonprofits he could support, he felt most aligned with the mission and impact of Bread & Roses. In order to raise money, Micah played with his jazz combo at the San Rafael farmers market and requested that for his bar mitzvah, his guests make contributions to Bread & Roses in lieu of gifts.
In an ironic turn of events, we were recently able to give back to Micah when he spent time at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital for a neck problem. Singer/songwriter Francesca Lee (who is also a Bread & Roses producer) performed a bedside concert for Micah, reminding him that through his generosity, he had become a cherished member of the Bread & Roses extended family.
Recently, Micah was discharged from the hospital, and one of the first things he did was to deliver his donation. Amazingly, he exceeded his goal of raising $1,800, a number he chose because in Judaism, the number 18 is an expression of life. Micah says that he will continue to raise money for Bread & Roses with the help of his jazz trio once he is fully recovered. In the meantime, we will use his generous gift to sponsor shows for kids in other pediatric hospitals throughout the Bay Area.
Thank you Micah. A whole lot of hope, healing and joy will soon be shared thanks to your generosity.
Budding jazz chanteuse Lucy Krakow is a featured “Whiz Kid” on this week’s Larkspur Corte Madera Patch. While at Redwood High School, Lucy was a volunteer performer for Bread & Roses who did concerts for three different facility audiences. An inventive jazz singer with her own distinctive style, Lucy is also a talented singer-songwriter as well as guitarist.
For her Bread & Roses shows, she brought her talents as a creative collaborator to the forefront by recruiting three musicians to perform with her. At Marin Services for Women (MSW) she performed original songs she co-wrote with Katie Hamilton who is now at Boston’s Berklee College of Music. At Aldersly in San Rafael, a residential community for seniors, she played jazz standards with saxophone player Jake Botts. At Our Common Ground, a rehab for teens in Redwood City, she performed in a charming and inspirational duet with her brother Roger.
Volunteer teen performer, Alexis Forchette, is a talented singer-songwriter/guitarist from Los Gatos who has done many programs for Bread & Roses audiences including Center Point RWC, a rehab facility for women in San Rafael, CA.
Please note these photos are to promote the mission of Bread & Roses and are not to be modified or used for commercial purposes. Use by permission only - contact info@breadandroses.org
