Lakeside hosting "Band Together for Good"
Submitted by Kyle Selberg
Three natives of northeast Iowa are joining forces to host the "Band Together for Good" fund-raiser on Saturday, Oct. 22, at Lakeside Ballroom and Sports Bar in Guttenberg. Kyle Selberg of Lakeside, Dr. Mollie Marti of Worldmaker, and Rachelle Howe of Mental Health Today are raising funds to support youth mental health and resilience programming in Allamakee County. The three natives of Waukon share a passion for supporting youth and families in their hometown.
The event will feature the band "Triple Threat," a popular band in northeast Iowa. The event will run from 7 p.m. - 11 p.m., with Lakeside Sports Bar opening for dinner at 5:30 p.m. The evening will feature music and dancing, food and drink specials, a raffle, and silent auction. Entry is open to all and a goodwill donation can be made at the door.
“When my partners, Ron Shorkey and Norie McCullick, and I bought Lakeside Ballroom, giving back to the community was an important part of our vision,” said Selberg. “In the short time we’ve owned Lakeside, we’ve hosted three major fundraisers. I’m personally excited that this one will be for my hometown and for such an important cause.”
The organizers are excited to welcome "Triple Threat" not only for its great music, but also because it mirrors their own collaboration. Selberg explains, “We were moving forward with another band and at the last minute, schedules shifted and then "Triple Threat" offered to help. We thought that’s actually quite perfect given how the three of us — with very different skill sets, but a shared passion to help kids and families — are working together to do more good in our hometown.”
Rachelle Howe, who founded Mental Health Today in Waukon after the death of her husband by suicide, emphasizes that a lot of good has already been accomplished by working with Worldmaker, a nonprofit that helps people prepare for, adapt to, and grow through adversity.
Howe commented, “With the support of the Allamakee County Community Foundation and others, we have hosted seven community educational sessions and we have eight more scheduled between now and the end of the year. The funds raised with the help of our new partner, Lakeside, are needed to complete this programming and build momentum into next year!”
The free community sessions are structured as one hour of education that provides three tools to address a particular issue, followed by refreshments and social time. The sessions are based on the THRIVE Resilience Model developed by Dr. Mollie Marti, a resilience researcher, after her community of Mount Vernon lost three teens by suicide. “The sessions are designed to provide important and helpful information in fun ways,” she explains. “Our team does the work of digesting the research and then sharing our practical tools that people can use right away to strengthen themselves and help others.”
Howe says that the biggest surprise so far is how much this education is resonating with young people. “It’s been great to see these sessions not only appeal to adults, but also to older teens. Our kids have so much going on these days and many are struggling. They’re really looking for tools to cope with stress in healthy ways
and to be a better friend to someone in need.”
Workshops have been held at the Waukon Wellness Center. If you are unable to attend the"Band Together for Good" fund-raiser but would like to support this work, you can make a tax deductible donation at www.worldmakerintl.org.