CHAPEL HILL -- There's got to be at least 352 guitar pickers in Chapel Hill.
And John Santa would like them and all the mandolin pickers, fiddlers and banjo strumming cats from all over North Carolina to join him and his buddies at the Marathon Jam on Saturday to raise money for Fisher House, a charity that provides room and board to families of soldiers who are recovering from war injuries in VA hospitals away from their homes.
The idea behind the Marathon Jam is for the musicians to find sponsors who will pay them for every hour they play. The Jam runs from 1 p.m. on Saturday to 1 a.m. Sunday, and everyone is welcome, whether they're classical musicians who can only stay an hour or jazz musicians who want to stop by for a late-night session.
The object of the jam is to raise as much money as possible, but Santa, on his website, Marathonjam.com, said the jam can be a very moving and emotional experience.
And John Santa would like them and all the mandolin pickers, fiddlers and banjo strumming cats from all over North Carolina to join him and his buddies at the Marathon Jam on Saturday to raise money for Fisher House, a charity that provides room and board to families of soldiers who are recovering from war injuries in VA hospitals away from their homes.
The idea behind the Marathon Jam is for the musicians to find sponsors who will pay them for every hour they play. The Jam runs from 1 p.m. on Saturday to 1 a.m. Sunday, and everyone is welcome, whether they're classical musicians who can only stay an hour or jazz musicians who want to stop by for a late-night session.
The object of the jam is to raise as much money as possible, but Santa, on his website, Marathonjam.com, said the jam can be a very moving and emotional experience.
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Wed. Nite Garage Jammers Jam all day Saturday for Fischer House
- AMVETS Post 276 Elliott, IL
- AMVETS Post 276 Elliott, IL
The Wednesday Night Garage Jammers literally jammed all day long yesterday at the American Legion Post 276 for their second annual "Mostly Bluegrass Marathon." The event raised funds for theFisher House Foundation, an organization that serves military families with loved ones battling injuries suffered during service.
"One of the great musical moments of my life was in 2009 when a young kid came in and stayed way in the back, playing a banjo," Santa wrote. "His dad came up and whispered in my ear and said his son was brand new on the banjo but really wanted to lead just one song so he could tell his brother (who was stationed in Baghdad) he had helped to raise money in honor of his big brother."
"Needless to say, I called on that young man, and he played what was probably the slowest bluegrass banjo version of "Sitting On Top Of The World" I have ever heard or played before or since." Santa wrote. "It was also one of the most moving and emotional moments of our Jam last year because everybody knew why he was playing and what it meant and how much he was struggling just to keep that song going 'cause he was so new to picking."
In the three years they've been jamming, the Marathon Jammers have raised $27,000 to donate to Fisher House.
According to Santa, "All money raised from the various jams goes directly to Fisher House - there are no administrative costs".
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| Lt. Col Greg Rawlins and Baghdad Bad Boys Jamming at Camp Victory - Iraq |
The idea for the jam came in 2004 when Santa played music monthly with a bunch of musicians called the RDU Session Players. One of them joked they knew so many songs, they could probably play for 12 hours straight so they decided to do a marathon jam.
One of the musicians who sometimes plays with the session players was Lt. Col. Greg Rawlings, who in 2008 was about to be deployed to Baghdad, so the musicians came up with the idea of using the money raised from the jam to support wounded soldiers.
While folks jammed in Chapel Hill, Rawlings organized and held a jam in Iraq in Camp Victory.
One of the musicians who sometimes plays with the session players was Lt. Col. Greg Rawlings, who in 2008 was about to be deployed to Baghdad, so the musicians came up with the idea of using the money raised from the jam to support wounded soldiers.
While folks jammed in Chapel Hill, Rawlings organized and held a jam in Iraq in Camp Victory.
"It was just overwhelming," Rawlings was quoted as saying. "People were coming up while we played and putting hundred-dollar bills in our banjo cases."Since then, other people have organized Marathon Jams in their communities, including in Eau Clair, Wis.; Birmingham, Ala.; Birchdale, Minn.; McLean, Va.; Baltimore, Md.; Tucson, Ariz.; Coon Rapids, Minn.; Richmond, Va.; and it's expected that this year jams will be held in Naples, Fla., and Lynchburg, Va., as well as in Iraq and Afghanistan.
While this Saturday is the dedicated day for Marathon jamming around the world, some communities find it hard due to local conflicts or they've not heard about the event in time to organize. Santa says it's
OK to hold your own local jam on other days and has suggestions for other ways to help.
You may be asking yourself, "How do I get involved?" Well, here's how Santa said, CLICK HERE
"This is not about politics for us," Santa said. "It's just a way to say thank you. And a way to say a very special thank you to the families, to the sons and daughters, the husbands and wives of all the people serving this great country.
"Regardless of your political views, everyone wants these soldiers home, and home safely, and if we can't have that right now, well, at least we can make it a little bit better for those who come home hurt and broken. This is a way we can show them how much we care."
The Chapel Hill Marathon Jam will be held at the American Legion Post 6 at 1714 Legion Road in
Chapel Hill. Spectators are welcome.
For other locations, click here
Read More Additional Information
How to get involved:
You may be asking yourself, "How do I get involved?" Well, here's how Santa said,
1. Start your own Marathon Jam!
There were 10 jams across the world in 2010, and the goal for 2011 is 20 jams here in the United States and abroad! And your town can host one of those. See "How do I start up a Marathon Jam?" for more information.
2. Play in a Jam
There may just be a Jam already going on in your town. See "Locations" to find a Jam going on near you! If you want to play, get your friends and family to support you by sponsoring you for the 12-hour Marathon Jam.
3. Sponsor a musician
Is music just not your gift? If that's the case, you can sponsor someone else to play during the Marathon Jam. All you have to do is fill out a Pledge Form and designate an amount per hour for that musician. When you've completed the form, give it to your sponsored musician, or mail it to:
Whit Kenney
Marathon Jam608 Gaston StreetRaleigh, NC 27603
4. Donate
If you just want to make a donation here and now to Marathon Jam, you can do that too! You can make a donation with your credit card via Paypal. Just click below, or donate on our ActiveGiving site here!
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