Not Quite Daily Blog

October 15, 2008
Well, here we are finally, back in the saddle, off and running again with a new Rock the Future! web site update.

August 25, 2008
After an exhausting 6 months of putting together what some would say was an audacious, seemingly impossible first year, 3 day festival, we can now say it was indeed a rousing success. Although we lost our Friday show with local bands, we managed to find another venue that worked out great. The folks at Silvan Ridge, particularly Angela Bennett and Cynthia Nickle, could not have worked harder or been more enthusiastic. Thanks to all their wonderful staff. All of them were a major reason the festival was so successful.

And speaking of reasons for success. We owe a major heartfelt debt of gratitude to all the bands. I thought for sure more than one would break down on the road here, but none did. Nearly 100 campers, in 20 tents and R.V.'s at the ranch were treated to a cookout Friday and Saturday nights, breakfast Saturday and Sunday mornings, jamming into the wee hours, and still made it to the big show on time. Most were in awe of the ranch and views, although some were a bit spooked by the critters in the night...

All that talent in one place and no egos. Everyone pitched in and did more than their part, but then, we knew we had a great bunch of people long before they arrived.

The 20 plus community groups in attendance were thrilled with all the attention they got. These are the folks who work their hardest every single day to address the issues that concern all of us. Perhaps for the first time ever, these groups were in the spotlight. What they got was an outpouring of support and recognition from the performers and the audience. They are the reason we all worked so hard on their behalf, and deservedly so.

Thanks to all of you. And with that, here's what Rock The Future! will look like going forward. Check out our new Music Mentorship Program for At-Risk Youth

LB

July 23, 2008
Click here to see the letter to my students from Senator Barack Obama
George Tollefson

July 16, 2008
After a slight bump in the road caused by a neighbor and an unelected Lane County Land Management person who took it upon herself to set policy and change the rules at the buzzer, we are back on track with a new venue thanks to a lot of great folks who stepped up. Namely Laura Gillpatrick with the Democratic Party of Lane County, Lane County Commissioner Bill Fleenor and his Constituent Services person Dianne Burch, Danuta Pfeiffer and Pfeiffer Vineyards, Patti Chappel at Secret House Winery, Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy, City and County Parks Departments, Springfield, Bethel, and Eugene School Districts, several private land holders, the generous Staff and Board Members at OCF, about 50 plus Community Groups who are in the loop, and of course, Cynthia Nickle, and Angela Bennett at Silvan Ridge Winery, and the Chambers folks.

Our biggest challenge now is having to limit the number of groups we can invite. If we invited all the groups who want to be part of this, and brought just their supporters out, we would have over 5,000 people attending, plus what the bands bring and we drive could double that. It's scary for Silvan Ridge, but as a promoter, I would rather turn people away than not fill a venue. This will be smaller but far easier to manage, and therefore a better end result.

Going forward with Rock the Future!, we are wired into the schools, and working on area churches, each of whom is a "Community". By next year, with more planning including a better date, we could fill a lot of venues. This has been a blessing in disguise.

So as not to have this sound like an acceptance speech or victory lap, far from it, we have much work ahead. I invite all of the above mentioned to come out as our guests and feel the magic! As we try to define sustainability, people are beginning to understand we really are all in this together, and our hopes and dreams can indeed become reality. You can just watch us make it happen, or thankfully, you and others will pitch in! As someone much wiser said, if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

LB