Wasser show to raise funds for shelter

Thursday, March 14, 2019

A new concert series is set to kick off in the coming week with a goal of making homelessness awareness and fundraising more than simply a seasonal concern.

The first Hope for the Homeless concert to benefit Beyond Homeless Inc. is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 21 at Wasser Brewing Co., featuring Gus Moon and War Radio.

The plan is to take an idea from Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, which takes place each November, and spread it throughout the year. In the last two years, that has included a benefit concert.

The hope is that further support for Beyond Homeless can be generated throughout the year, with this concert, and possibly two more, before the big slate of events in November.

There are no tickets for the event and no cover charge, though a $10 donation to Beyond Homeless is suggested. A portion of Wasser’s proceeds for the evening will also be donated to the organization.

The event is family-friendly, as 90 percent of Wasser’s seating is outside the bar area.

Reservations are recommended.

Besides the evening of the event, Wasser’s chef has planned a past special for Tuesday, March 19 through Thursday, March 21. A portion of each of these sales will also benefit Beyond Homeless.

Doug Cox and Michelle Boller of Beyond Homeless credited Wasser owners Chris and Angie Weeks for being quick to volunteer their venue for the event.

“Chris and Angie just immediately jumped on board this right away,” Cox said. “Michelle and I were here for lunch one day and we grabbed Chris to ask him. He and Angie got involved.”

“They were also among the first people to buy tickets to the first year we had a concert,” Boller added.

Hearkening back to that first concert in 2017, it’s fitting that Moon (aka Anthony Mullis) and War Radio are involved in the upcoming event.

“Anthony and Joel and Tosh (Everson of War Radio) were all quick to say after our Homelessness Awareness Week in 2017 that they wanted to know how they could do more,” Cox said.

Angie Weeks concurred.

“Gus Moon and War radio have been heavily involved in raising funds and awareness over the years,” she said. “Of course, there are many others.”

The concert is becoming a bit of a neighborhood affair. Not only are Wasser and Beyond Homeless just two blocks apart on East Franklin Street in Greencastle, sound equipment is also coming from the Greencastle Music Center, right next door to Wasser.

“We were really scrambling for sound support and Dan Brush at Greencastle Music Center stepped forward and said he would do that,” Cox said.

Celebrating its five-year anniversary this month, Beyond Homeless serves about 120 women and children annually.

Besides this, though, it provides non-residential services, including locating housing, vouchers for clothing and household items and some assistance to avoid homelessness in the first place.

Cox also emphasized that while men cannot stay at the shelter, Beyond Homeless can also provide them with assistance.

“We get that question more and more,” Cox said. “The bottom line is, nobody needs to go without shelter and we work with other shelters (for men) in the region.”

Beyond Homeless works with partners across the community to provide its services.

“We work with Family Support Services, St. Vincent de Paul, the Department of Child Services, just about all churches, the Children’s Bureau and the probation office,” Boller said.

“It takes the partnership of the Greencastle Police Department and the sheriff’s department to help identify who needs help,” Cox added. “And they’re very supportive in just assisting us when we need help.”

The majority of the operating expenses for Beyond Homeless come from private funds, making events such as the concert vital to continuing to make an impact in the community.

“If it goes well, maybe Wasser will agree to host more concerts,” Boller said.

Resilience IPA helps Camp Fire victims

Besides taking part in events such as the Hope for the Homeless concert series, Wasser Brewing Co. is trying to have an impact beyond the Putnam County community.

Chris Weeks and Wasser are trying to do their part with the sale of Resilience Butte County Proud IPA. All proceeds from the sale of the beer go to the Camp Fire Relief Fund.

When the Camp Fire in Northern California killed at least 85 people and burned more than 153,00 acres last November, it took with it many of the buildings and homes surrounding the Chico, Calif., brewery of the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

As a way to help the region rebuild, Sierra Nevada unveiled the Resilience Butte County Proud IPA, with proceeds from the sale supporting relief efforts.

But Sierra Nevada didn’t stop there, instead sharing the recipe and inviting other craft brewers around the country to sell it, with all proceeds going to those affected by the fire.

“They designed a beer and asked breweries around America to make this beer and give the proceeds to the Camp Fire Relief Fund,” Wasser master brewer Chris Weeks said.

The response was overwhelming. Brewing suppliers provided the ingredients for free, and more than 1,500 breweries nationwide joined the effort.

Weeks said Resilience should remain on draft at Wasser for a few more weeks.

Wife and co-owner Angie said the effort shows what a community — whether it be a local community or a far-flung community like craft brewers — can do when it comes together for a good cause.

“A lot of good work happens when people come out of their houses and come together in a community,” she said.

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