Rock & Roll For A Great Cause In Muscatine Saturday
By Tony Tone Locosole
When the crisis phone line rings in the middle of the night at the Muscatine Center for Social Action (MCSA) Domestic Violence Shelter, it is never a good sign. What is good is that someone on the other end of that call is available day or night to help. For the last 18 1/2 years, the shelter has done just that for local women and children in need.
MCSA Domestic Violence Shelter Coordinator Judy Yates stresses the significance of having a local option for women in need. “It is important for the Muscatine community to have this resource available to women and children so they don’t have to leave town,” Yates said. “That allows them to stay local and avoid leaving their job or having their children change schools. Family and friends support is here, and together with our services, we can set them on the right path.”
A few years ago, the doors of the MCSA Domestic Violence Shelter nearly closed after losing not only federal but also state funding. Yates spoke of the caring nature of the community. “The Muscatine community has rallied behind us and thought having the shelter was important a few years ago when closing the doors was looming overhead. The support we received in funding from local corporations and individuals has been greatly appreciated.”
Outside of monetary donations, the shelter is constantly in need of other items. Said Yates, “The shelter could use food and gift cards for things like gas to help women get to and from work. We are always looking for things like bedding, silverware, linens, towels, start-up household items for when they eventually get out on their own.”
When Sam Koester, a Muscatine resident who plays drums for the band HeavyWeight, approached Yates with the idea of an all-day rock and roll fundraiser, her initial reaction was to be “amazed and excited.” This, Yates said, is “another way for the shelter to serve those in need.”
The 2nd annual River City Throwdown takes place this Saturday, October 8 at the Pearl City Station along the riverfront in downtown Muscatine. Koester’s decision to put together the fundraiser made total sense. He stated, “MCSA is a great community organization. Their involvement in helping those in the area is amazing. But most people think what they do is just ‘tax dollars at work,’ which isn’t 100% the case. Most of what they do is all funded by grants that must be applied for. The shelter is a perfect example of that. They are only around if the funding is there.”
The lineup of bands set to perform includes Abnormal Man, Circadian Rhythm, Kronos Resistor, Know The Ropes, Tong PO, Avoid, Friendly Fire: On, Faces Turn Ashen, Heartland, Doppelganger, Sleepwell, Barebones, A Casual Affair, Those Dirty Thieves, HeavyWeight, Still Standing, and The Hong Kong Sleepover. All these bands are donating their time to play at the fundraiser, which doesn’t surprise Koester. “It feels great. I’m friends with almost every member of these bands and they are all the most selfless people I’ve known. We are doing what we can to help those in need.”
The cost of the event is $10 with live music starting at 12:05 p.m. and continuing until the last band hits the stage at 11:10 p.m. One hundred percent of the proceeds raised from the River City Throwdown will be donated to the MCSA Domestic Violence Shelter. The event is open to all ages, and kids 10 and under are free. No alcohol is permitted at the event.
To learn more about the MCSA Domestic Violence Shelter, call (563) 264-3278 or visit them online at www.MCSAIowa.org. Search River City Throwdown for more information about the event.
