| St. Paul the Apostle Church in Gurnee will again play host to a concert that aims to raise money for the American Cancer Society. The seventh annual Concert for Life, featuring Warren Township High School alumnus Matt Wessel, is slated to be held March 11 at 3:30 p.m. Last year's concert, attended by roughly 1,400 people, raised more than $24,000. Overall, between the Concert for Life events and his "Matt Wessel Live" events, Wessel has helped raise roughly $105,300 for the American Cancer Society since 2001, according to his Web site. Wessel said $84,000 of that amount has been donated by the Gurnee community alone. "It's mind-boggling when you think about it," Wessel said of the money that has been raised. "It's amazing. It shows that they believe in the cause as much as I do and as much as the kids at Warren do." The Concert for Life, which is organized each year by Warren's Future Business Leaders of America group, began in 2001 as a way to honor a Warren student, Kate Pederson, who had cancer. That first event raised $6,000. "I always go back to the initial concert. Kate attended the first show," said Wessel. He liked the transformation he saw in Pederson between the first and second show, which raised $8,000. She went from being scared and weak to being more comfortable and having a brighter smile, Wessel said. "That example is something that I've seen countless times while doing this," said Wessel, who aims to inspire cancer patients through his concerts. "It gives them a sense of hope, (as they're) surrounded by people who are supporting them." In fact, Wessel hopes everyone who attends the Concert for Life leaves feeling inspired. "It really is an evening of enjoyment, of fun and a lot of laughter," said Wessel. Throughout his performance, Wessel shares stories that make people laugh, he said, noting that there are also serious moments when he talks about his dad's cancer battle. "If you're someone that cries at movies, you're going to cry, you're going to laugh," said Wessel. "But you're not going to leave feeling down. You're going to leave feeling inspired." Wessel said many of the songs performed during the show are geared toward the cancer community or anyone who is facing adversity. He plans to perform select religious songs along with secular music and instrumental pieces. "I don't know anyone who has not found the concert to be inspirational," said Jenni Salisbury, Future Business Leaders of America co-chair for the event. The amount raised by the Concert for Life at St. Paul the Apostle has grown each year, jumping to $10,000 in 2003 and $16,000 in 2004, according to www.mattwesselmusic.com. The 2005 concert raised $20,500. The Concert for Life on March 11 will feature silent auction items, raffles and free food. Wessel commends the Warren students for seeking out donations for the silent auction and raffles, which are the primary means of fund-raising. "Enough can't be said about the Warren kids," he said. Tickets for the concert are $5 each when purchased in advance, or $8 at the door. For ticket information or to donate a raffle prize, contact Sue Walker, adviser for Future Business Leaders of America at Warren, at (847) 599-3175. For information about Wessel's music, including his CDs, visit www.mattwesselmusic.com. |
| mattwesselmusic.com |
| letters (read what people are saying about my music) CONCERT TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CANCER RESEARCH by korrina grom | gurnee review (gurnee, IL) | march 1, 2007 |