Tomasulo family delighted to accept the guitar
POUGHKEEPSIE – Rock legend Styx played to a sold out crowd at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center Friday evening, and not only did they “rock the house,” but their charity Rock to the Rescue raised well into the thousands of dollars, within a matter of hours, for the local Dutchess Outreach charity organization.
Rock to the Rescue has been holding charitable events in cities across the U.S. on the current Styx tour, looking for reputable local charities in each city to contribute 100 percent of the charitable proceeds gained from each show.
The Poughkeepsie show raffled off an Epiphone Les Paul guitar, selling thousands of tickets in the process.
Dominic Tomasulo of Highland, winner of the signed guitar, said it was
amazing to win an autographed guitar from a band that he had listened
to since he was a kid. The concert was a Father’s Day present from
his children, and being able to contribute to Dutchess Outreach in the
process, was a beautiful thing.
“Anything to help people in the community,” Tomasulo said. I mean, whatever you can do, what little you have, or as much as you can spare: it’s a beautiful thing.”
Kevin Compton of Rock to the Rescue said they’re all about local charities and being able to contribute to Dutchess Outreach, an organization with a decades-long track record of feeding 400-500 lunchbox meals a day, serving approximately 5,000 people a year through their food pantry, as well as contributing to emergency expenditures of those in need, was exactly what the band was looking for when considering a charitable organization in Poughkeepsie.
“It’s the grass roots charity thing,” said Compton. “Going in, and they have me go in, and find charities that are local, homegrown charities… one’s that could really use the money.”
Brian Riddell, executive director of Dutchess Outreach, was pleased with the results.
“It’s a nice fund raiser.” Riddell said. We’re really happy that they chose and we were able to make a little money here and we’ll put it to good use feeding the people in the county.”
Riddell may have been being a bit modest with saying, “a little money”.
Although there was no exact tally of the proceeds at the end of the night, Rock to the Rescue accounted over 300 raffle tickets sold, at $10 apiece.
