Come Support the Heart & Stroke Foundation and Take in a Great Show!

The Four Points by Sheraton Leominster will be hosting a fundraising music event for the Heart & Stroke Foundation on Saturday, February 13th.  The show will feature four female singer/songwriters from the area, who are donating all proceeds from the evening to this worthy cause.

Melinda Horrigan, Controller at the Sheraton Four Points, has championed the event in honor of her mother, Christine Mahoney, who passed away suddenly from a stroke at a young age. The performers ~ GS Picard, The Rafters, Elizabeth Lorrey and Lee Villaire ~ are trying to help Melinda reach her goal of raising $5000 to help with advocacy and research for stroke and stroke victims. “My 50 year old mom died suddenly of a stroke and was otherwise a perfectly healthy woman, mother and friend,” said Melinda, who is coordinating the benefit concert as well as training to run in a 13 mile half-marathon in June for the American Stroke Association’s Train To End Stroke program.

The show will include performances by GS Picard, with her brand of hard driving, rock- influenced rhythm and folk tradition freestyle music, highlighting songs from her latest CD. “Plastic World.”  GS has performed with Rod Picott and Cheryl Wheeler and currently hosts the Independent Music Showcase every month at The Bull Run in Shirley, MA.

Elizabeth Lorrey has just released her first CD, “Awakening,” a dark blend of edgy, intense acoustic rock.  A talented multi-instrumentalist, she is best known as the front woman and guitarist of fave local rock bands “Wax Fruit Museum” and “Crave.”

The Rafters are an acoustic-pop, married duo (Miki and Dave) whose latest CD, “With The Sun,” was released a few months ago. With a growing cult following, they recently opened for Lori McKenna and were featured at the Wachusett Valley Folk Festival.

Rounding out the list of performers is another local favorite, Lee Villaire, who is currently recording her 5th CD.  Lee has garnered much media buzz lately ~ including airplay on dozens of college radio stations ~ and will be joined by her full band for this show.  “Like many of the performers, I have a vested interest in raising funds for this cause, having lost my Dad from a heart attack when he was young and having a friend who also suffered a stroke.  This is an important charity and all of us feel honored to have a chance to try and help out,” shared Lee.

The show kicks off at 9pm and tickets are available for $10 at the Four Points Sheraton by calling 978-840-5549 Mon-Fri, 8-4. The hotel is also offering a special Valentine’s Day package that includes dinner, the show, overnight stay and breakfast for $200.

Donations can also be made at:  ttes.kona2010.kintera.org/melindahorrigan

For info on the performing artists, please visit their sites:

www.gspicard.com
www.theraftersband.com
www.elizabethlorrey.com
www.leevillaire.com