To get to Liverpool from Austin, to travel 1 week and the amount of walking on this trip will be a first for Brandon. In previous trips shorter trips I have always brought someone to help. The Festival starts early afternoon each day and goes into the morning of the next day. Brandon will try to see as much as possible. So Brandon's aides and some volunteers have all agreed to help on this trip. I think that will make this trip even better to be surrounded by friends and those closest to Brandon. Brandon's aides and friends decided to hold a series of fundraisers to raise money so Brandon can have the help he needs while on the trip. As a mom, this is part of taking a back seat to my adult son and allowing him to have his own life. So we have decided to do a few fundraisers to raise the money for the trip.
The first part of the fundraiser is starting a GiveFoward Campaign. We have set up a link for people who are interested to help Brandon live his dream and go to the International Beatles Festival. I hope you will consider. Here is a link.
https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/kt37/brandon-s-international-beatles-dream?utm_source=giveforward&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=donation_notify_oganizer&email=lrummel@austin.rr.com
We have set up two fundraising events.
The first event is a private house party/concert hosted by our friend Meredith Delk. It will be catered, have three acoustic acts and I am sure we will hear Beatles songs throughout the night. Brandon will use his device to give everyone his own speech about his trip to Liverpool and will sing a few tunes with his aide Chris and maybe a few special guests. Look for an invite. I would like to thank Meredith Delk for her hospitality and support. Lara Laneri Keel, Heather Paffe, Nora Cox and Pati McCandless for co-hosting the event. You guys rock and we could not do this trip without you. Also, special thanks to the musicians and Jake (Brandon's aide) providing the entertainment for the evening.
The second event is open to the public. Mark your calendars as this should be a night to remember with some very special bands performing at:
Scholz's Beir Garten
April 26th, 2015
1607 San Jacinto Blvd
Austin TX 78701
Music to start at 2:30 and end around 9:00.
We will have music throughout the day and it will be a great celebration of Brandon graduating from his Adult Transition Program, raising a few dollars for the trip to Liverpool and London and will include a few Beatles tunes throughout the evening and plenty of surprises. It will be a great time to spend time with friends and family and meet a few new friends. I look forward to seeing many of you there and know this will be a special night. We will have more information next month on the event.
The other part of the fundraiser was to auction off my 1966 Epiphone Casino guitar I had sitting in my closet since 1975. This is a guitar I bought from my brother when he needed a little extra cash. Being a musician in 1975, I had several guitars and keyboards, so I added this special girl to the collection. I played it a few gigs, but when I usually played it was either keyboards or my acoustic guitar. I decided to finally auction it off through a friend who owns a guitar shop. Before I could get a post online, I had an offer I couldn't refuse. The funny thing about this guitar that I didn't know, is this guitar was designed after a guitar John Lennon played and all the Beatles had one of these. George Harrison had one almost exactly the same as this one with a Bigsby tailpiece. So it seemed perfect for this occasion to sell it as part of this fundraiser. Here is a little history on the guitar.
http://www.vintageguitar.com/5485/the-beatles%E2%80%99-casinos/
I will miss the my old guitar but I hope someone loves it as much as I did.
I will leave this post with a link to Brandon's video he made about the Beatles and his love of the Beatles.
Brandon's video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qxub4B6R4E
Thank you everyone for all your support and love of Brandon. It makes my heart melt.
Love Leah.
