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‘Rock of Ages’

Rock the Night for Charity is March 22

Mike Gardner

LOCK HAVEN — The place was packed, the dance floor was on fire, and The Urge owned the stage at a rockin’ benefit last spring.

The second annual Rock the Night for Charity is coming soon – Friday, March 22.

It’s going to be a great night to shake off your cabin fever, join friends in the Sons of Italy party room, win prizes, hear the popular ’80s band The Urge, and help local charities. This year, radio personality Shawn Carey will kick things up a notch as he serves as emcee.

The fun starts at 8 p.m., and doors open at 7 p.m.

Proceeds go to the November Boys Fund Endowment. The endowment contributes annually to three nonprofits, each one chosen to reflect the interests of three very good friends. These lifelong local men died suddenly, before their time, in three successive Novembers, from 2014 to 2016.

PHOTOS PROVIDED At left, Todd “Doob” Mellott, left, and Mike Gardner.

How might you react, do you think, if you were in their wider circle of friends and had to go through losing first Mike Brookens, then Doob Mellott, then Mike Gardner, in a span of three years? This particular circle of people who loved them reacted by establishing the November Boys Endowment Fund. Today the circle stands unbroken again, with the endowment keeping the memories of Mike, Doob and Mike alive in perpetuity.

“These guys taught me that sometimes the smallest of gestures can have a big impact in someone else’s life,” said Jim Akeley, who worked with Kelli Gardner and Cheryl Seddon to start the fund. “I can’t get through a day without grinning or outright laughing at some of the humor they so naturally found in the simplest of situations. People still come up to me and share great memories. Those memories keep us going, and motivate us to give back in their names.”

The first Rock the Night for Charity raised $7,150 and put the fund over the top, Akeley reported.

Established with the Clinton County Community Foundation, the endowment can now give out contributions. The goal of this year’s benefit is to grow the amount of those contributions.

The endowment gives to:

Mike Brookens

r The Ross Library, to honor Michael Jon Gardner who overcame an early reading disability and discovered that he really loved to read.

r The Keystone Central music program, to honor Benjamin Todd “Doob” Mellott who was a gifted musician and loved both high school and college music theory.

r The Lock Haven YMCA Swim Team program, to honor Michael N. Brookens who broke several swimming records as a member of this team.

“These fellas were so talented in their own way,” Akeley said, “and they made such positive and lasting friendships throughout our community – not through the number of days we had them in our lives, but through the impact they made on those around them.”

Kelli said, “Establishing the memorial fund has been incredibly important to me, helping to both continue Mike’s legacy and support local needs to the communities in which he, Mike and Todd grew up. Rock the Night for Charity with The Urge not only raises money, it also gives us the opportunity to personally thank those in attendance for honoring the lives of three great men and for helping to build on something that assists the needs of our neighbors.”

Mike, Doob, and Mike were all graduates of Lock Haven High School, attended Lock Haven University, and were members of the Clinton Country Club and Belles Springs.

Brookens was a longtime Jaycee, Gardner was in the Durty Dabbers Motorcycle Club, and all three of them loved the alternative rock band The Urge. In fact, Mellott played bass in the band and Brookens was its first manager. Gardner was a top fan ever since the group first got together, back in 1986.

Now, 33 years later, The Urge is a big draw for the March 22 benefit night. Today the band members are Howard Briggs (lead guitar, vocals), Gino Lundy (lead vocals, guitar), Rusty Bottorf (drums, vocals), Steve Houser (bass) and Dave Iris (keyboard).

The benefit also features 50-50 raffles, door prizes, a cash bar, free popcorn, and gift baskets for lucky winners.

Some of the gift basket themes and prizes are: Penn State, fall fantasy, barbecue champion, spring wreath, lottery tickets, Harley Davidson, a baby basket, Subway gift cards, a Texas Restaurant gift certificate, a Flowers by Monica basket, a bracelet from Addie’s, a Browns Hill Tavern $50 gift certificate package, and a three-month YMCA membership package.

Admission is only $10. Advance tickets are available at the WSQV studios, on Main Street in downtown Lock Haven. Tickets will also be sold at the door.

Those interested in donating directly to the endowment may send contributions to the Clinton County Community Foundation, P.O. Box 652, Lock Haven, Pa. 17745, marked for “November Boys” or for the Brookens, Mellott, Gardner Endowment Fund.

For more information about contributing, contact Kelli Gardner or James P. Akeley through Facebook.

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